Top five Test knocks of 2021
While 2020 saw cricket tournaments getting cancelled or postponed left, right and centre, 2021 was nothing short of a delight for cricket fans. The year saw mind-boggling action across all three formants as viewers were thoroughly entertained. Notably, Test cricket had great significance this year as the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final took place.
Hence, several teams tried to find a place in the summit clash. Meanwhile, the final was played out between India and New Zealand and the Kiwi side walked away with an eight-wicket triumph. Besides this, many exciting Test matches were also on display.
Meanwhile, let’s look at the top five Test knocks in 2021:
- Kane Williamson – 238
New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson was truly on a roll during the second Test against Pakistan earlier this year. The visitors looked in a pretty decent position after posting 297 while batting first at Christchurch. However, the Kiwi skipper scored 238 and knocked the visitors out of the contest. He slammed the likes of Shaheen Afridi and Yasir Shah during the course of his knock as New Zealand won by an innings and 176 runs.
- Travis Head – 152
Several eyebrows were raised when Australia picked Travis Head over veteran Usman Khawaja for the first Ashes Test. The southpaw, however, justified the decision with a remarkable ton. In a match where stakes were really high, Head unleashed an exhibition of big-hitting and scored runs all over the park. He reached his 100 off just 85 balls and ended up scoring 152. His efforts took Australia to a nine-wicket win.
- Devon Conway – 200
England has been one of the toughest places for Test openers as the new Dukes ball does a lot of talking. However, Devon Conway embraced this challenge in his very first assignment in the format. Facing the likes of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, the southpaw scored 200 runs at the Mecca of Cricket Lord’s. The game eventually ended in a draw.
- Rishabh Pant – 89
A Rishabh Pant special at the Gabba handed Australia arguably their most humiliating defeat in Test cricket. India’s defeat looked inevitable as they had to chase 328 in the series decider. However, Pant had other ideas. He took the Aussie bowlers head on and scored runs for fun. The southpaw ended up scoring an unbeaten 89 as India became the first Asian team to win the Test series in Australia twice.
- Kyle Mayers
West Indies’ Kyle Mayers tops this list, thanks to his blitzkrieg on Test debut. Chasing a mammoth 395 on a deteriorating Chattogram track, the Caribbean team lost early wickets as Bangladesh looked in command. However, Mayers stepped up and slammed a jaw-dropping double ton on his Test debut. His unbeaten 210 took West Indies to a famous three-wicket win.
