ENG vs IND Tests: India’s top Test batters in England since 2000 – Leading performers & key stats.
India will play the second Test against England at Birmingham from July 2. India are trailing 0-1, and need to win the second Test to level the five-match series. The English home conditions are a tough ask for the batters from the subcontinent. However, a few India batters have thrived in the English conditions, and gone on to become legends of the game. Here’s a statistical analysis of the best India batters in Tests in England in the 21st century.
Dravid leads charts in England in Tests since 2001
Rahul Dravid tops the batting charts in terms of runs, average, and tons since 2001 followed by Virat Kohli, and Sachin Tendulkar. Among the top ten run-getters, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja is a surprise inclusion at the 10th spot, with 1 ton and 3 fifties. MS Dhoni is the only batter in the list who has not scored a single hundred in England in Tests.
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Here’s the list of top ten run-getters for India in England in Tests
Fab Four dominate in English conditions in Tests in the first decade
However, as we bifurcate the stats in decades, the batters switch positions in the table to show the dominance of certain legendary players during that phase. For example, during the 2001-2010 decade, the Fab Four of Dravid, Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman topped the batting charts in England Tests.
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Here’s the stats of India batters who have scored most runs in England in Tests from 2001-2010
Rise of Kohli in second decade
But as we move to the second decade from 2011 to 2020, Dravid falls down in the table to No 5 from No 1 in the previous decade, while the new star, Virat Kohli, dominates the batting charts followed by MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, and Cheteshwar Pujara.
Here’s the stats of India batters who have scored most runs in England in Tests from 2011-2020
Pant replaces Kohli in next decade
In the ongoing decade from 2021 till date, Kohli is replaced by Rishabh Pant at the top as the former fades and retires from Test cricket.
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Here’s the stats of India batters who have scored most runs in England in Tests from 2021 till date
Best India batter in England in Tests since turn of the century
India’s success abroad is measured by the number of Test wins or series victories they post abroad. Therefore, it could be concluded that the top India batters in England in Tests are those whose runs mostly came in winning causes. Although it cannot be denied that bowlers did play a part in those Test wins in England, but batters set up a win by posting a score that bowlers could defend.
Kohli scores most runs in winning causes in England in Tests
If we take the parameters of India batters scoring the most runs in winning causes in England in Tests, Kohli wins the battle hands down followed by Ajinkya Rahane and Sachin Tendulkar. However, it is Kohli, Rahane and Pujara who are in top four of scoring the most runs in winning causes in Tests in England, and also, featuring in four Test wins – the most by any India batters since 2001. Hence, their contribution towards Test wins in England is worth in gold.
Here’s a look at top India batters scoring most runs in winning causes in England in Tests
Ganguly tops in average
However, it is Ganguly who averages a whopping 104.5 in winning causes in Tests in England followed by Dravid (98.00) and Sachin Tendulkar (95.00). But, these three have featured in only wins in England in Tests.
Pant’s tons in England remain winless
On the contrary, Pant, who has made four tons in England, is at the bottom of the table as none of his centuries has come in winning causes in England in Tests. He has mere 143 runs at 23.83 with 1 fifty to show for in winning causes in England in Tests, but he has featured in three Test wins in England. Jadeja’s record too is in similar lines. He is at the bottom of the table, but has featured in three Test wins in England.
So, who are the best India batters in England in Tests?
If runs are the criteria for success in England in Tests, Dravid is the most successful India batter since 2001. However, if runs coming in winning causes is taken into account, Kohli wins this challenge. If scoring most runs in winning causes and featuring in most Test wins in England since 2001 is taken into account, Kohli-Rahane-Pujara are the most successful India batters in England since the turn of the century.
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