Flashback 2016: Top 5 run-getters and wicket-takers in Tests

Tags: Joseph Edward Root, Virat Kohli, Azhar Ali, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kagiso Rabada, Flashback 2016, Rewind 2016

Published on: Dec 31, 2016

With 2016 drawing to a close, CricWaves takes a look back at the top five run-getters and wicket-takers in the year, in Tests

With 2016 drawing to a close, CricWaves takes a look back at the top five run-getters and wicket-takers in the year, in Tests.

Top 5 batsmen

Joe Root: England’s best batsmen at present, Root finished 2016 as the highest run-getter. In 17 Tests, Root amassed 1477 runs at an average of 49.23 with three hundreds and 10 fifties. He made his highest score of 254 against Pakistan at Manchester in July. His other hundreds came against South Africa at Johannesburg and India at Rajkot. While Root had a fantastic year, he would be disappointed at not having converted more fifties into tons.

Jonny Bairstow: Another Englishman, he hit 1470 runs at an average of 58.80 with three hundreds and eight fifties. Bairstow’s best of 167 not out came against Sri Lanka at Lord’s in June. Undoubtedly, a watershed year for Bairstow.

Alastair Cook: The England skipper may have failed in India, but he still ended up as the third highest run-getter. He finished the year with 1270 runs at an average of 42.33, with two hundreds and seven fifties. His best of 130 came against India at Rajkot in November.

Virat Kohli: Another brilliant year for the Indian skipper. In 12 Tests, Kohli amassed 1215 runs at an average of 75.93 with four hundreds and two fifties. Kohli’s best of 235 came against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in December.

Azhar Ali: The Pakistan opener ended the year with 1198 runs from 11 Tests at an excellent average of 63.05 with three hundreds and four fifties. Azhar’s career-best of 302 not out came against West Indies at Dubai in October.

Top 5 bowlers

Ravichandran Ashwin: In 12 Tests, he ended up picking 72 wickets at an average of 23.90, to finish as the year’s highest run-getter, with eight five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket match hauls. His match best of 13 for 140 came against New Zealand at Indore in October.

Rangana Herath: In nine Tests, the veteran left-arm spinner grabbed 57 wickets at an average of 18.92, with five five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls. His match best of 13 for 145 came against Australia at Colombo in August.

Mitchell Starc: The Aussie pace spearhead claimed exactly 50 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 22.58, with three five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket match haul. His best of 11 for 94 came at Galle against Sri Lanka in August.

Stuart Broad: The experienced English pacer claimed 48 wickets in 14 Tests at an average of 26.56 with only one five-wicket haul. His best match figures of 8 for 99 against South Africa at Johannesburg in January.

Kagiso Rabada: In 9 Tests, he picked up 46 at an average of 23.34 with four five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket match haul. Rabada’s match best of 13 for 144 came against England at Centurion in January.

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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