The Best of 2017- 10 interesting records from the year

Yet another exciting year of cricket is nearing its end and just as it is always, there was no dearth of accomplishment of records in the game in the year 2017. Be it, teams or individuals, cricket continued to enthral its lovers by some remarkable feats achieved on the 22 yards.

It was a year that witnessed intensified One-Day International action. In the age where the shortest format is considered the most lucrative, the number of ODIs played was more than double the T20Is. A total of 47 Tests, 129 ODIs and 63 T20Is have been played in the year 2017. Let’s have a look at 10 such interesting facts that had the statisticians busy over the last 12 months:

1. Most runs in Tests:

None of but India’s Cheteshwar Pujara is leading the list as the highest run-getter in Tests in 2017. He has accumulated 1,140 runs in 11 matches this year with an average of over 67. His runs comprised three centuries, including one double century (202) and five fifties.

However, the last week of December is poised to see Pujara getting eclipsed by Australian captain Steve Smith and South African opener Dean Elgar as both are yet to play a Test in 2017 – against England and Zimbabwe, respectively. India have no more Tests to play in 2017. Smith, who recently hammered a 239 against England to lead his team to pocket the Ashes, has 1,127 runs at the moment from 10 matches at an average of over 70. He has scored five tons and two half-centuries in the year.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli is at the fourth position with 1,059 runs in 10 matches at a staggering average of 76.24. He has also hit five tons this year, with the highest being 243 against Sri Lanka in the recent most series.

2. Most runs in ODIs:

Kohli finished as the top scorer in the one-dayers in 2017, amassing 1,460 runs in 26 games with yet again an incredible average of above 76. He hit six tons and his strike rate was recorded to be 99.11. Kohli’s highest one-day score in 2017 is 131 made against Sri Lanka.

Kohli, however, did not play in the final series of the year against the Lankans but yet Rohit Sharma, who captained India in his place and hit a swashbuckling 208 not out in one of the matches, could not overtake him and finished second with 1,293 runs in 21 games (average 71.83; six tons).

Sri Lanka’s Upul Tharanga finished third with 1,011 runs in 25 games even though his team had a forgettable year in the field.

3. Most runs in T20Is:

Dashing West Indian opener Evin Lewis led the list of high scorers in T20Is in 2017 with 357 runs in nine games (highest 125 not out). A couple of Pakistanis in Babar Azam and Ahmed Shehzad were among the top four with 352 and 304 runs, respectively.

South Africa’s AB de Villiers also stood joint third with Shehzad with 304 runs though he had a far better average and strike rate. Kohli was joint fifth with Afghanistan’s Mohammad Shahzad at 299 runs but with a better strike rate. Kohli skipped the three-game T20I series versus Sri Lanka or else he could have bagged the top slot in the shortest format as well.

4. Most Test ducks in 2017:

The dubious record of scoring the most number of ducks in 2017 goes to Sri Lankan fast bowler Nuwan Pradeep (seven) in six games. The second highest number of ducks (five) has been scored by three players – Babar Azam (Pakistan), Nathan Lyon (Australia) and Shannon Gabriel (West Indies).

However, the Australian spinner will have more opportunities in 2017 to match Pradeep as his team would play a Test against England in Melbourne starting the Boxing Day. For India, Ishant Sharma and Kohli scored most number of zeroes in Tests in 2017 (both scoring two with the fast bowler doing it in less number of matches). It seems Kohli doesn’t like to be away from records – pleasant or not so pleasant.

England’s Stuart Broad and Australia’s Jose Hazlewood have four and three ducks scored in 2017 and they also have chances to go up the list before the new year dawns, unless of course, they miss the game for some reason.

5. Wicketkeeper with most ODI dismissals in 2017:

It’s MS Dhoni, the veteran again! The former Indian captain effected 39 dismissals in 29 matches played in 2017 of which 13 are stumpings (the next best is just five). The most number of dismissals the 36-year-old World Cup-winning captain made in an innings was three.

England’s Jos Buttler (30) and South Africa’s Quinton de Kock (25) were distant second and third rank-holders. Dhoni’s reflexes are still a treat to watch, no matter what the cynics say.

6. Highest partnership in T20Is in 2017:

India’s blasting openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan topped the list with the year’s only 150-run opening partnership so far. They put up 158 for the opening wicket against New Zealand in the first T20I in Delhi in November which India won handsomely.

The second place goes to 127 put up for the third wicket by Scottish duo Calum Mcleod and Richie Berrington against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi in January while Kiwis Kane Williamson and Corey Anderson added 124 runs for the fourth wicket against Bangladesh at Mount Maunganui in January. The Rohit-Shikhar partnership is also the highest for India in T20Is and third-highest in all. They took 98 balls for the partnership, which is again the longest opening stand.

7. Lowest team totals in Tests:

Pakistan’s 81 was the lowest a team scored in Tests in 2017 and they would hope the South Africans scuttle out Zimbabwe for lesser in the four-day Test that they would play starting the Boxing Day. Pakistan were bundled out for 80-odd by the West Indies in a Test at Bridgetown in April as the Asians were chasing a moderate target of 188.

Bangladesh’s 90 against South Africa at Potchefstroom in September and Sri Lanka’s 96 against Pakistan at Dubai in October are the next lowest team totals in Tests in 2017. Interestingly, there are no non-Asian team in this list till the sixth position. Australia’s 112 is the seventh lowest overall and the lowest by a non-Asian team. Are Asian sides losing batting skills?

8. Most sixes in T20Is in 2017:

Not Chris Gayle (who recently hit 18 sixes in a game in the Bangladesh Premier League) but another West Indian Evin Lewis hit 31 over boundaries in nine T20Is in 2017, topping the list by far. The next best was only 15 – less than half – by New Zealand’s Colin Munro (seven matches), Afghanistan’s Mohammad Nabi (10 matches) and South Africa’s David Miller (11 matches).

However, Lewis’s strike rate was lower than all those who had hit 15 sixes in 2017. For India, Kohli hit the most number of sixes (eight) followed by MS Dhoni (seven) and since the regular captain chose to skip the three-game T20I series versus Sri Lanka, his predecessor has all the time to finish as India’s best man in that table of musclemen.

9. Most extras in an ODI innings:

Australia bowled almost five additional overs against trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand in a 50-over match at Auckland in January as their bowlers conceded 29 extras including 16 wides. It proved costly for the Aussies as they went on to lose by six runs after allowing the Kiwis score 286.

The second in the list is Zimbabwe who gave away 27 extras against Sri Lanka at Hambantota (16 wides) but managed to pocket the series-winning game. The third best culprit is Ireland who conceded 25 extras (18 wides) against Afghanistan is a game at Greater Noida in India but still won it by 3 wickets.

India also gifted arch-rivals Pakistan 25 extra runs in the form of extras in that horrendous final of the Champions Trophy at the Oval in June which they lost by a massive 180 runs. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah perhaps will never forget the game for claiming the wicket of centurion Fakhar Zaman in a no-ball, earning him much brickbats.

10. Most Test wickets in 2017:

The year 2017 belonged to the spinners as they mesmerised batsmen at will and kept on filling up their kitties. Australia’s leg-spinner Nathan Lyon is the most successful bowler in 2017 with 60 wickets in 10 matches (average 22.91) with one 10 and five five-wicket hauls. He still has one game this year against the hapless Englandban and will certainly better his tally.

India’s Ravichandran Ashwin is the second with 56 scalps in 11 games (average 27.58) and he has bagged two five-wicket hauls. South African pacer Kagiso Rabada and another Indian spinner Ravindra Jadeja are joint third with 54 wickets in 10 matches each.

While Rabada had two 10-wicket and three five-wicket hauls (average 20.96), Jadeja had three five-wicket hauls with an average of 23.05. Veteran England pacer James Anderson is in the sixth position in the list with 51 wickets. Can he fancy a chance to eclipse Lyon in the Boxing Day game?