Top 5 highest year-end averages for runs scored across all formats

#1 Virat Kohli – 86.50 (2016)

Virat Kohli has been in imperious form this year

Kohli had a year cricketers dream of. In 41 innings (the most amongst the five batsmen here – more the number of innings, more difficult it is to maintain a high average given it is a function of dismissals), Kohli amassed a whopping 2595 runs with 11 Not-outs, 7 centuries, 3 double-centuries and 13 half-centuries. Then there is the small matter of captaining the Test side through an unbeaten streak of 18 matches, the longest in the country’s history. He was also picked as the captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year.

Kohli would really cherish the victories he garnered away from India in Sri Lanka and West Indies to add to the 3-0 and 4-0 India inflicted on New Zealand and England.

The Indian Test skipper is also the rare cricketer who has managed a 50+ career average in all three formats of the game. Kohli is already, at 28, at No.39 amongst highest run-getters across all formats, and another 3000 runs will make him jump 16 places. Kohli is head and shoulders above everyone on this list, almost 9 runs ahead of second-placed Clarke.

17 times an Indian batsman has scored 2000 runs in a calendar year. Kohli has done it thrice already, joint third with Dravid. Only Ganguly (4) and Sachin (5) have done it on more occassions. 3000 runs for King Kohli in 2017 anyone?