Top 5 Indian batsmen with most test runs in a calendar year

Overall, Mohammad Yousuf holds the record for scoring most test runs in a calendar year.

India have produced some of the greatest batsmen – including arguably the greatest of all time Sachin Tendulkar – in test cricket.

From Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid to Virat Kohli, multiple Indian batters have been dominating eras and generations from the 1970s.

One of the records that is talked about when speaking of these elite batters is their best performances in a calendar year.

In this article, we will look at the five best years an Indian batsman has had in test cricket.

Top 5 Indian batsmen with most test runs in a calendar year

5. Sunil Gavaskar – 1407 runs (1979)

The original “Little Master,” Sunil Gavaskar was the first batter to reach the magical figure of 10,000 test runs.

His best year in test cricket was 1979 when he was the top scorer in that calendar year in the world. Gavaskar played 17 tests and batted in 26 innings, scoring 1407 runs at an average of 54.11, with four centuries and eight half-centuries.

4. Virender Sehwag – 1422 runs (2010) 

Virender Sehwag was a rare breed of batters who played aggressive cricket in tests and liked to take the attacking option when cornered. His career strike rate of 82 in test cricket testifies to his modus operandi.

Sehwag had a golden period between 2008 and 2011. In 2010, he finished as the second-highest scorer in test cricket. Sehwag scored 1422 runs in 25 innings at an average of 61.82 and a strike rate of 90.80, while slamming five centuries and eight half-centuries.

3. Virender Sehwag – 1462 runs (2008)

In 2008, Sehwag became the first Indian batter to score a second triple-century in test cricket. After scoring 309 against Pakistan in Multan in 2004, he scored 319 against South Africa in 2008 in Chennai.

He produced brilliant performances throughout that year. In 2008, Sehwag played 14 tests and scored 1462 runs at an average of 56.23. He notched up three centuries and six half-centuries that year.

2. Yashasvi Jaiswal – 1478 runs (2024)

Young Indian opener Yashasvi Jaiswal had a great start to his test career with a knock of 171 runs against West Indies and it didn’t stop there. In the very next year of his test cricket career, Jaiswal sealed a permanent spot in India’s first-choice test XI with his performances throughout the year. He even scored 712 runs in a five-match test series at home against England.

Jaiswal amassed 1478 test runs in the year 2024 in 15 matches. He hit three hundreds, out of which two were double hundreds, and nine fifties in the year at an outstanding average of 54.74. Only Joe Root (1556) scored more test runs than Jaiswal in the year 2024.

1. Sachin Tendulkar – 1562 runs (2010)

Sachin Tendulkar holds the record for most test runs in a calendar year by an Indian batsman. He is the only Indian to score 1500+ test runs in a calendar year.

In 2010, Tendulkar cracked seven test centuries (second-most in a calendar year), including two double hundreds, and five fifties. He finished with 1562 runs in 23 innings at an average of 78.10, with a best of 214.

(All stats updated till 30th December, 2024)

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