5 Indian batsmen with the highest averages in Test cricket

Test match cricket is the most challenging of tests in so many ways. It challenges a player's temperament, skills, stamina, patience and endurance. A batsman has to grind it out in the middle to score runs on a consistent basis to win matches for his side.

India, over the years, have produced plenty of classic batsmen. These legendary batsmen have been pillars of strength for the team by being extremely consistent and have hence helped India become one of the top Test sides.

One of the most important measures of consistency is the average of a batsman. In this segment, let us take a look at five batsmen who possess the highest averages in Indian Test history.

In this list, only Indian batsmen who have played a minimum of 30 innings are considered in order to exclude any outliers.

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#5 Cheteshwar Pujara - 50.28*

Cheteshwar Pujara has been one of the mainstays of the Indian Test team for the last five years. He is a man blessed with a solid technique and inimitable concentration. Pujara is a man who likes to take his time in the middle and get his eye in. Once he does that, he becomes almost unflappable.

From the 108* innings that he has played thus far, Pujara has scored 5028 runs at a remarkable average of 50.28 with 16 hundreds and 19 fifties.

(*at the end of India's first innings in the first Test against Australia at Adelaide in 2018)

#4 Sunil Gavaskar - 51.12

Sunil Gavaskar

He was the man who instilled a sense of self belief in the Indian team. Sunil Gavaskar was the first Indian batsman to scale peaks in Test cricket. He was the first batsman globally to breach the 10,000-run barrier. When he bowed out of the game in 1987, Gavaskar retired as the highest run-scorer and century maker in the ultimate format.

From 214 Test innings in a glorious career, Gavaskar scored a whopping 10,122 runs at an impressive average of 51.12 with 34 hundreds and 45 fifties.

#3 Rahul Dravid - 52.63

Rahul Dravid

On par with his illustrious teammate Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid is the greatest Test batsman produced by India in the last three decades. The technically accomplished right-hander's square cut against raging pacers and his ability to whip the ball through mid-wicket made him an extremely difficult batsman to bowl to.

Also known as ‘The Wall’ for his impeccable defence, Dravid scored a staggering 13,265 runs from 284 Test innings at an incredible average of 52.63 with 36 hundreds and 63 fifties.

#2 Sachin Tendulkar - 53.78

Sachin Tendulkar

This man hardly needs any introduction. In a career spanning almost a quarter of a century, Tendulkar took Indian cricket to dizzying heights. Hailed as a larger-than-life cricketer, he holds just about every single batting record in Test cricket. He possesses the most number of career runs, most centuries and most fifties among many other records.

The simplistic beauty in Tendulkar’s batting made you crave for more. His ability to play the straight drive with minimum effort made even the best of bowlers searching for answers.

From an astonishing tally of 200 Tests, Tendulkar scored a mammoth 15,921 runs at a splendid average of 53.78 with 51 hundreds and 68 fifties.

#1 Virat Kohli - 54.13*

Virat Kohli

Currently occupying the top spot in this illustrious list, Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been plundering plundering runs against different opponents in various conditions all across the world.

Kohli's recent form makes for astounding reading. From his last Test 33 innings, he has amassed 3340 runs with 13 hundreds and 6 double hundreds. The right-hander's unending zeal to score runs has made him undoubtedly the greatest batsman of the current era.

From 125* innings that he has played in his Test career thus far, Kohli has scored 6334 runs at a colossal average of 54.13 with 24 hundreds and 19 fifties.

(*at the end of India's first innings in the first Test against Australia at Adelaide in 2018)