Sportskeeda Cricket Awards 2018: Test Batsman of the Year

2) Kusal Mendis

Kusal Mendis

The Sri Lankan wicket-keeper batsman has had a splendid 2018 in the whites, having amassed 1023 runs in 23 innings at an average of 46.50. Mendis, who finished as the second highest run-getter this year registered four half-centuries and three centuries with his highest score being 196 (third highest overall this year) against Bangladesh at Chittagong. Since making his Test debut in October 2015, the Moratuwa-born batsman's rise has been meteoric.

Mendis finished 2018 on a bright note scoring a magnificent 141* in the drawn first Test against hosts New Zealand at Wellington and followed it up with 67 in the recently concluded Boxing Day Test at Christchurch which the visitors lost by a massive margin of 423 runs.

At just 23, the Lankan batsman has a lot of exciting days ahead and is surely one of the batsmen to watch out for in the future. Kusal deserves to be in the top three for his consistency and phenomenal run with the bat throughout this year!