Top 5 cricketers of the week (July 30 to August 5)

2. SAM CURRAN

He was awarded the Man of the Match award in the 1st Test against India

The seaming conditions at Edgbaston and unsatisfactory performance by Moeen Ali in the ODIs made the selection of Curran in the playing XI a reality. And Curran played his role with both bat and ball.

He made some important contributions with the bat in both the innings, especially in the second - where he made a match-changing 65-ball 63 with the other lower order batsmen. While bowling he took four wickets in the first innings, scalping Vijay and Rahul in the same over.

Currently, Curran is the fourth highest run-getter of the series with 87 runs at an average of 44, and the fourth highest wicket-taker of the series with five wickets in two innings. At present, the five-match Test series is 1-0 in favor of England.