5 cricketers who could win the 2018 ICC Test Player of the Year award

The year 2018 has come to an end and we have witnessed a lot of breath-taking games in the International cricket, especially in the longest format of the game. The Virat Kohli-led Indian team is currently the number one Test team with 116 points from 38 matches, thanks to consistent performances from the skipper himself, Cheteshwar Pujara and their pace troika.

At the end of each year, the International Cricket Council (ICC) presents the various kind of awards to the deserved players. The Test Player of the Year Award is currently held by Australian batsman Steve Smith.

There were a lot of cricketers who have shown an immense consistency in the Test cricket last year and they have a chance to win this honoured award. On that note, we take a look at the five cricketers who could win the 2018 ICC Test Player of the Year Award.

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#5 Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins has been impressive with the ball since the start of 2018. He has shown an extraordinary consistency in his performances and picked the wickets at a regular interval.

Cummins started the year with a bang when he scalped 8 wickets in a match against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The Australian fast bowler replicated the same performances in the South Africa series and picked 22 wickets from just four games.

Even though the pacer did not get a good start to the four-match Test series against India, he ended the year with a six-wicket haul (6/27) which is his best bowling figure in an innings.

In total, he scalped 44 wickets from just 8 matches at a healthy average of 19.98 and an economy of 2.80. Cummins, who has displayed great bowling skills, might win the ICC Test Player of the Year Award.

#4 Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah had a dream start to his Test career. He has been tremendous with the ball throughout the year. He simply overshadowed the other Indian bowlers with his toe-crushing yorkers and dangerous bouncers. Bumrah has been an important member of the Indian team across all formats of the game.

He made his Test debut against South Africa and picked up 14 wickets from 3 matches against the same opposition. He ended the year with a good note when he bagged 20 wickets from just 3 games against Australia. In between, he picked 14 wickets from 3 matches during the tour of England.

In total, the right-arm pacer scalped 48 wickets from just 9 games at an outstanding average of 21.02 and an economy of 2.66. He became the first Asian bowler to pick five-wicket hauls in South Africa, England and Australia in the same calendar year.

Having displayed his great consistency with the ball, he might have a chance to bag the ICC Test Player of the Year Award.

#3 Kusal Mendis

Kusal Mendis

Kusal Mendis is one of the most consistent players in the Sri Lankan squad. He has shown a lot of consistency in the Test cricket last year. While his teammates are struggling to perform, this man did not disappoint his skipper.

The right-handed batsman began the year with a positive note when he smashed 196 runs against Bangladesh. He continued the same performance and played a lot of good knocks throughout the year.

He then smashed the centuries against West Indies and New Zealand. In 2018, the 34-year-old scored 1023 runs from just 23 innings at an astonishing average of 46.50, including three centuries and four half-centuries.

The Sri Lankan cricketer, Kusal Mendis was the second leading run-scorer in the Test format in 2018. Mendis, who played an important role for his team in 2018, has a chance to win the ICC Test Player of the Year Award.

#2 Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada has been their backbone in all formats of the game. He could destroy any batting line-up in the world with his raw pace. The right-arm pacer is currently the number one bowler in the ICC Test Match Player Rankings.

He got a great start to 2018 when he scalped 15 wickets in the three-match series against India. He troubled even experienced players like Murali Vijay, Rohit Sharma during the India series.

Rabada repeated the same performance and picked up 23 wickets from just 4 games against Australia. He picked up two fifers in a match against Australia to bag the player of the match award.

He did not stop and continued to dominate the teams like Sri Lanka and Pakistan in 2018. The 23-year-old ended the year as the leading wicket-taker in Tests with 52 wickets from just 10 games. It will not be a surprise if he bags the ICC Test Player award.

#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli is arguably the best batsman in all formats of the game. The Indian skipper is currently the number one batsman in ODI and Test format.

Kohli proved why he is the best batsman in the world when he dominated the bowlers in South Africa, England and Australia. He finished the series against South Africa and England as the highest run-scorer, scoring 286 runs from 6 innings and 593 runs from 10 innings respectively.

The 30-year-old continued his splendid touch against Australia, scoring a century at Perth and a vital 82 in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. Kohli ended the year as the leading run-getter in Tests with 1322 runs in 24 innings at an average of 54.33, including five fifties and five centuries.

He became the first Indian cricketer to score centuries in South Africa, England and Australia in the same calendar year. The chances of Kohli winning the ICC Test Player of the Year Award is pretty high.