Sportskeeda Cricket Awards 2018: ODI Batsman of the Year

Its that time of the year when we get to analyze who are the best performers in the game in various categories and formats. In ODIs, 2018 has witnessed some phenomenal matches and some brilliant individual performances.

England's resurgence in ODI cricket has paved way for many of their players to find a place in the list of 'Top run-getters in ODIs for 2018'. There is also a heavy presence of Indian batsmen on the list.

Players like Shikhar Dhawan, Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy, Fakhar Zaman, Shai Hope, and Brendan Taylor are having an impressive 2018 with the bat. These players have scored more than 800 in the calendar year so far and were consistent.

Here in this article, we take a look at the top ODI batsmen of 2018.

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#3 Joe Root

Joe Root has scored a lot of runs in 2018

England is arguably the team to beat in ODIs at the moment. They have lost just one ODI series in 2018 and that too a truncated one against Scotland. They are the World No.1 team in ODIs right now and completely deserves it. They have some exceptional limited-overs players and they all are having a good 2018.

Though they have phenomenal hitters like Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Eoin Morgan, and Ben Stokes, one player definitely stand out and it is none other than Joe Root. The 27-year-old has scored 946 runs at an average of 59.12 and a strike rate of 83.93.

He has hit three hundreds and five fifties in 2018 and was hugely consistent. Despite his brilliant year in ODIs, Root is only the fourth highest run-getter in 2018 and has very little or no chance of winnings the ODI Batsman of the Year award.

#2 Rohit Sharma

Rohit Sharma, England v India - 3rd ODI: Royal London One-Day Series

Rohit Sharma is second on the list of most run-getters in ODIs for 2018. Arguably the best opening batsman in One Day Internationals at the moment, Rohit Sharma has a penchant for big scores. He is the only player in the world to score two double hundreds in ODI cricket, let alone three. Rohit Sharma has scored 7454 runs in ODIs from just 193 games.

Rohit Sharma enjoyed a stellar 2018. In 19 One Day Internationals, the 31-year-old has scored 1030 runs at an average of 73.57 and a strike rate of 100.09. With the highest score of 162, he has struck five centuries and three fifties this calendar year. Truly exceptional.

Despite his heroics, Rohit Sharma most likely will not win the ODI Batsman of the Year award for 2018 and many already know the answer.

#1 Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli, England v India - 3rd ODI: Royal London One-Day Series

Virat Kohli is an undisputed choice for ODI Batsman of the Year for 2018. The Indian captain has been in sublime form this calendar year with a truckload of runs. 2018 has been a memorable year for Kohki as he becomes the fastest player to complete 10,000 runs in One Day Internationals.

The 30-year old broke Sachin Tendulkar's record in October and he took just 205 innings. In 2918, Virat Kohli has scored 1202 runs in just 14 innings at a staggering average of 133.55. He has made nine 50+ scores which included six hundreds.

He is the highest run-getter in One Day Internationals for 2018. Virat Kohli has scored 38 hundreds in ODIs so far, second only to Sachin Tendulkar. At this rate, this man could break most of the records in ODI cricket very soon.