ENG vs IND throwback: Top run-getter and wicket-taker in the 2018 tour
India is all set to play the five-match Test series on England tour against the hosts starting 4th August. Before the series, the side is also taking part in some practice matches. India earlier lost to New Zealand in the final of the World Test Championship. They will be hoping to make a fresh start in this Test series which also marks the second cycle of the World Test Championship. The last time when India toured England, it lost the series 1-4. In this article, we will be discussing who were the top run-getters and wicket-takers in that tour.
Top run-scorer: Virat Kohli (593)
India’s tour of England in 2018 was the biggest Test of Virat Kohli, the batsman. He was heavily trolled for his failures in the earlier tour of the nation in 2014. Virat wanted to prove a point, and he started the series with a blockbuster performance. In the very first Test played at Edgbaston, Virat slammed a brilliant century scoring 149 runs off 225 balls. However, India lost this match by 31 runs in the end.
India faced a big defeat of an innings and 159 runs in the second match. In the third game, Virat once again shone scoring 97 and 103 in the first and second innings respectively. He played a key role in helping India win by 203 runs, and was awarded player of the match.
Overall, in the series, the Indian skipper scored 593 runs in 10 innings at an average of 59.3. He hit two centuries and three half-centuries with a high score of 149. He was named as India’s player of the series for his terrific batting performance.
Top wicket-taker: James Anderson (24)
England’s most experienced bowler James Anderson rose to the occasion in this Test series. He picked up the most wickets (24) in five Tests at an average of 18.12. During this, he picked up one fifer with the best figures of 5/20. The veteran pacer also bowled the most maidens (56) in the series and maintained an impressive strike rate of 45.9. He picked up 9 wickets for 43 runs in one Test during the long-format series.
In the 2nd Test of the series which was played at Lord’s, Anderson single-handedly ran through the Indian batting line-up. In the first innings he claimed 5/20 which saw India crashing to 107 all out. In the second innings, he claimed four more wickets to seal an innings victory for the home side. His spell of 3/45 in the final Test saw him taking Glenn McGrath to become the most successful fast bowler in Test cricket history.
