Players with 1000+ Test runs in three or more consecutive years

A sportsperson has periods in his professional career when he is in the 'Zone'. He needs to exploit these occasions to the fullest and strive relentlessly to achieve greatness. For a Test batsman, scoring 1000 runs in a calendar year is the reward for being in the 'Zone'.

The feat of scoring 1000 Test runs in a calendar year has been achieved on 156 occasions. Out of this, 11 batsmen have done this four times or more.

The highest run scorer in Test Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar has notched up more than 1000 runs six times in his illustrious career. The likes of Hayden, Cook, Lara, etc. did it on five occasions. However, only a few players have managed to do it in consecutive years.

Note:- Pointing is not on the list as he had a sub-standard 2004 where he scored 697 runs. He made more than 1000 Test runs in a calendar year in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2006.

Lara felt short of this feat due to injury-hit 2002 when he scored just 351 runs in seven Tests. It broke a streak of 1000-runs years in 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

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#5 Kevin Pietersen (2006-08, three times)

Very few players have managed to keep the media spotlight firmly on them. KP has done precisely that with his actions both on and off the pitch.

The South-African born English batsman is best known for his extreme self-confidence, relentless attempt to get under the opposition’s skin and switch-hits. The stylish batsman dares to attack the opponent even when his team is down.

Year wise Test runs scored from 2006 till 2008.

The middle-order batsman played his first Test in Ashes 2005. He scored fifties in both the innings of his debut Test and in the last match of the series, he scored a brilliant counter-attacking ton to win the Ashes for the hosts after 18 years.

#4 Marcus Trescothick (2003-05, three times)

Marcus Trescothick of England hits out

Trescothick was one of the finest opening batsmen to play for England and an automatic choice in the English side in the early 2000s. In a cruel turn of events, the left-handed batsman had to retire prematurely in 2008.

Known for his attacking instincts, the southpaw was more of a see-the-ball-hit-the-ball kind of player. Although the explosive batsman had every shot in his repertoire, off-drives and slog-sweeps highlighted his batting.

Marcus Trescothick Test scores in 2003-05

The left-handed opener was often criticized for getting out after settling in throughout his career. This was evident in Ashes 2005 where he failed to score a single century but was pivotal in his team's victory.

#3 Brian Lara (2003-05, three times)

Brian Lara is widely known as the greatest batsman of modern era along with Sachin Tendulkar. No batsman since Sir Don Bradman has notched up massive scores as often and as effortlessly as Lara in his prime.

He holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class cricket, 501* for Warwickshire against Durham in 1994.

Brian Lara stats in Test cricket in 2003-05

The attacking batsman scored 375 runs in a Test innings against England at Antigua in 1994. A decade later, he scored an unbeaten 400 against the same opposition at the same ground.

Critics highly rate the stylish left-handed batsman's 153 not out against Australia in the nail-biting 1 wicket win in 1999.

#2 Steve Smith (2014-17*, four times)

Steve Smith celebrated his career-best 239 in style

Steve Smith started his career in 2010 as an all-rounder who could bowl leg spin. By the end of 2017, he now has the second highest Test batting rating of all times.

In between his career-best 239 against England in the ongoing Ashes, the Australian skipper crossed 1000 Test runs mark in a calendar year for the fourth year running. He is only the second batsman to achieve this feat.

Smith stats in the years 2014-17

Australia's Test schedule for next year is yet to be confirmed but it is expected that Smith will have at least 10 Tests to try and score 1000 runs in 2018 - the number of games he took to achieve the feat this year.

Note:- '*' indicates that the streak is not broken.

#1 Matthew Hayden (2001-05, five times)

Matthew Hayden celebrates a century

Former Australian batsman, Matthew Hayden has scored more than 1000 Test runs in a calendar year five times on the trot. In the history of Test cricket, Hayden is the only player to have achieved it.

Australia's tour of India 2000-01 was a career-defining series for the powerful opener. The left-handed batsman amassed 549 runs, an Australian record for a three-Test series. Before the tour, Hayden averaged a mere 24.36 from 13 Tests.

But after the series, his place in the playing XI was never in danger.

Matthew Hayden scored consistently from 2001 to 2005

In the first innings of the first Test match against Zimbabwe played at WACA on 10 October 2003, the explosive batsman scored 380 runs from only 437 balls - setting a new world record for the highest individual Test score, which Lara broke later.