Top 5 Run-scorers in Tests in 2018

Team India ended 2018 on a high note by winning the boxing day Test and in the process managed to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy. India currently leads the 4-match Test series 2-1 with the last match at SCG yet to be played.

India had quite an eventful year in terms of Test cricket as they have played most of their games abroad (South Africa, England, and Australia) and played just three games at home against the debutants Afghanistan and West Indies team.

This year has witnessed some engrossing and alluring Test matches which the true entertainment provided by Test cricket. Last week we saw the Sri Lankan team save the first Test match against the Kiwis team on the back of some outstanding innings played by Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis.

Almost all the teams have struggled to bat in the last innings of a Test this year as we witnessed multiple batting collapses from top cricketing nations like India, Pakistan, South Africa, and Australia.

Also, the Test match pitches in countries especially like South Africa has become very challenging as the wickets there are offering non-stop assistance to the pace bowlers. To overcome such drastic playing conditions the batsmen had to toil hard to survive and score in against quality bowlers.

We have witnessed some astonishing individual batting performances this year from the likes of Virat Kohli, Tom Latham, Kane Williamson, Cheteshwar Pujara, AB de Villiers, Karunarathne, Usman Khawaja and Joe Root. so in this slideshow, we take a look at the most consistent batsmen in Test cricket this year.

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Notable mentions:

The top ten run-getters are -

#10 Dean Elgar(RSA) - 661 runs(10 matches)

#9 Aiden Markram(RSA) - 672 runs(10 matches)

#8 Mominul Haque(Ban) - 673 runs(8 matches)

#7 Usman Khawaja(Aus) - 732 runs(10 matches)

#6 Karunarathne(SL) - 743 runs(9matches)

Here are top 5 run scorers in 2018 -

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#5 Jos Buttler(Eng) - 760 runs

Jos Buttler

In an interesting turn of events, Englands best-limited overs player in the last few years, Jos Buttler has transitioned himself into a reliable lower middle order batsmen for the England Test team this year and scored substantial runs batting at number 7 position.

He played some crucial knocks down the order during the India tour of England earlier this year which played a huge role in denting the chances of victory for team India on multiple occasions.

He played 10 Test matches this year and scored 760 runs at an average of 44.70 including a solitary century and 6 fifties.

He finished the year as the 5th highest scorer in the world this year. Also, he is the second highest run-getter for the English team only behind his Test skipper.

#4 Cheteshwar Pujara(Ind) - 837 runs

Cheteshwar Pujara

India's one down batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara has well and truly established himself as one of India's premier Test batsmen(among the current crop of batsmen) alongside Virat Kohli this year by performing consistently in the away tours. His performances in hoe conditions were never really questioned as he scored heftily in India since the start of his Test career.

His past failures in the SENA countries have constantly remained as the blemishes in his overall record. But he managed to rectify that this year as he scored ample runs in testing overseas conditions and provided much-needed stability to India's batting line-up.

He has been the leading run charts in the current Australia series. His contributions played a pivotal role in both the Indian wins in the prevailing Australia series. He scored match-winning centuries in both Adelaide as well as MCG Tests which ultimately paved the ideal platform for the triumphant Indian bowlers.

Pujara has played 13 Test matches this year and scored 837 runs at an average of 38.04 including 3 centuries and 4 fifties.

#3 Joe Root(ENG) - 948 runs

The linchpin of the fragile English batting line-up, Joe Root

The ever consistent England Test skipper has been among the runs yet another year and finished the year as the third highest runscorer in the world. Although he did not have stellar time with the bat this year he still managed to score some crucial runs for his team in crunch situations.

His century against India at Oval and another one against Sri Lanka on a viciously turning Pallekele pitch further enhanced his stature as one of the best among the current crop.

His conversion struggles continued this year as well as he got out on most occasions after getting set. He currently holds the fifth position on the ICC Test batsmen rankings

Joe Root has played 13 Test matches this year and scored 948 runs at an average of 41.21 including 2 centuries and 6 fifties.

#2 Kusal Mendis(SL) - 1023 runs

Kusal Mendis acknowledging the applause after scoring a fifty in the second Test against the Kiwis team

23-year-old Kusal Mendis has been the shining beacon of hope for the Sri Lankan Test cricket team this year. He was always touted to be the next big thing in the Sri Lankan cricket circles after the departure of the greats. He was expected to be his nation's leading batsmen after the retirement of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene but he failed to fulfill his potential until this year.

He has arrived on the international scene this year by playing some crucial knocks for his team. Most recent of which came in the recently concluded first Test against New Zealand when he combined with Mathews and saved the Test for his nation by producing an unbeaten marathon knock.

Mendis has played 12 Test matches this year and scored 1023 runs at an average of 46.50 including 3 centuries and 4 fifties.

#1 Virat Kohli(IND) - 1322 runs

The numero uno batsmen - Virat Kohli

No surprises at the pole position as the number one ranked Test batsmen in the World right now is the highest run-getter this year. The astonishing fact about Virat Kohli's accomplishments is that he has scored the majority of his runs in challenging conditions in South Africa, England, and Australia. Also, he has scored centuries in all these three top cricketing nations in a single calendar year, which earned him an elite place in cricket's history books.

He recently became the leading runscorer in overseas Tests for India in a calendar year, a record previously held by the legendary Rahul Dravid.

He started this year with the South African tour and managed to outscore his counterparts from both teams in really challenging batting conditions against a deadly South African pace attack.

Then he embarked on a tour to England on a mission of resurgence. He managed to abolish the demons of 2014 tour and emerged as the top run-scorer in the series, thus in the process established himself as the best batsmen in the Universe across the formats.

He played 13 Test matches this year and scored 1322 runs at an astounding average of 55.08 including 5 centuries and 5 fifties.