5 best Test innings of 2019

2. Kusal Perera (153* vs South Africa, Durban)

Kusal Perera's innings scripted a miraculous win for Sri Lanka

Even if Kusal Perera does nothing else in his career, this innings itself will assure his name being prominently recorded in history books. The knock stunned the whole cricket world, coming as it did when Sri Lanka, a team that had been facing a torrid time prior to this series, looked all set for another defeat.

Chasing a target of 304, against South Africa in their own backyard, against an attack comprising Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander, Sri Lanka seemed hopelessly out of the game. When they were tottering at 110/5, things seemed set to end quickly.

But Perera, a player who has frustrated Sri Lankan fans by regularly throwing away his wicket, batted like a man possessed.

When his team was nine down with 78 runs still to get, even the most optimistic fan of the Lankan team would have lost hope. However, the pugnacious left-hander soldiered on.

By shielding his partner Vishwa Fernando from the strike and taking audacious risks, Perera slowly took his team closer to an unbelievable win. And then, after batting for more than 15 overs with his No. 11 partner, he finally achieved the unthinkable.

While the South Africans didn’t know what had hit them, the world gasped at the brilliance of the batsman.