Sportskeeda Cricket Awards 2018: Test Bowler of the Year

It was another unforgettable year of Test Cricket in which records tumbled on almost every matchday. It was the Pakistani spinner, Yasir Shah who stole the limelight this year having scalped 10 wickets in a single day during the second Test match at Dubai against New Zealand in November and his figures of 14/184 were the best of 2018.

Though several bowlers from almost all Test playing nations made the headlines this year, let us look at three bowlers who made our list for the top Test bowler of the year- courtesy their exceptional display with the cherry.

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3) Jasprit Bumrah

Bumrah with captain Kohli

The lanky pacer has certainly become a force to reckon with, since making his Test debut for India against South Africa at Cape Town in January this year. With 48 wickets in nine matches, Jasprit Bumrah finished 2018 as the fourth highest wicket-taker. Bumrah's tally of 48 wickets is the most for an Asian pacer in a calendar year (overseas) and third most for a bowler in a debut calendar year.

His slingy action, toe-crushing yorkers and slow-deliveries make him unplayable at times for batsmen who find it difficult to read his deliveries. The Gujarat pacer, who is currently the number 1 ranked ODI bowler, has been successful across formats and his rise, especially in the Tests, has been meteoric.

Bumrah has delivered in almost every condition he has played in this year, South Africa, England and Australia. The Mumbai Indians star has formed a deadly pace trio along with Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma, became the first Asian bowler to take a five-wicket haul in each of Australia, England and South Africa in the same calendar year. His exceptional display with the cherry has been one of the main reasons behind India winning four Test matches overseas in a calendar for the very first time in their history.

Bumrah has repaid his skipper's immense faith in him by providing regular breakthroughs and has emerged as Kohli's go-to man not just in Tests but across all formats of the game. The Indian captain will be hoping that the 25-year-old pacer replicates his success in 2019 as well.

2) Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon

Lyon, who holds the record for the most number of wickets by an Australian off-spinner, had an exceptional 2018 which saw him finish as the third-highest wicket-taker with 49 wickets in 10 matches. Though the Australian bowling attack had some fiery pacers like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, it was the Lyon who was the highest wicket-taker for his nation this year. The 31-year-old bowled whopping 114 maiden overs, which is the most by any bowler this year.

Lyon's 6/122 and 8/106 are his best figures in an innings and in a Test match this year. In the recently concluded Test matches against India (three Tests), he scalped 17 wickets and was one of the chief wreckers with the ball for the hosts. The highest wicket-taker (Tests) of 2017 has replicated his performance with the cherry this year, weaving a web of spin around the batsmen.

1) Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is obviously our number one choice for the '2018 Test bowler of the Year'. The 23-year-old is the highest wicket-taker in Tests this year with 52 scalps to his name in 10 matches. The fiery Proteas pacer took two five wicket-hauls and a ten wicket-haul with his best figures in an innings being 6/54 (best figures in a match 11/150).

Having made his Test debut against India back in November 2015, Rabada has become one of the most promising pacers across the cricketing fraternity in a short time and his number one ranking in the ICC Test bowlers chart which will see him finish the year on top of the ladder is a perfect example of his talent.

With age on his side, Rabada is sure to take the game by storm in the years to come. But as for as 2018 is concerned, he is the King among the bowlers in Tests.