Stat attack: Indian cricket team’s incredible 2017, in numbers

READ: India consolidate no.1 position in ICC Test rankings after Sri Lanka whitewash

Test Cricket: In Test cricket, India enjoyed tremendous success as they won 7 matches out of the 11 they played in 2017. Noticeably, they lost just 1 game. India’s success in the longer format can be gauged from the fact that as a team they equalled Australia’s record of nine consecutive Test series wins (between 2005 and 2008).

India also became the first team to score more than 600 runs in three consecutive innings in Test cricket. This was after they hit 631, 759 and 687 against England. Test skipper Virat Kohli also registered 3 double-century partnerships with Ajinkya Rahane which is the most by any pair since 2013. In 2017, as many as 6 players scored more than 50 runs in one Test in an innings (against Sri Lanka). This is, in fact, the joint-most for them in an innings.

India are the number one ranked Test team in the world.

India particularly enjoyed success against Sri Lanka in 2017. Such was the domination that India became the first visiting team to post more than 500 runs in two successive Tests in Sri Lanka. It also saw them register a whitewash in an away series of three or more Tests.

ODIs: In one-day cricket, India played 29 matches and won 21 and lost 7, resulting in a win percentage of 72 which is the most among all three formats. This year also witnessed history as India recorded four wins in a bilateral ODI series for the first time vs Australia. Particularly successful in this format was the opening pair which put up eight-century partnerships this year. This is the most for India in a calendar year in ODIs. Incidentally, this is also a world record in a calendar year.

Among the top run-getter in ODI’s Virat Kohli tops the list with 1460 runs in 26 matches. Rohit Sharma is a distant second with 1293 runs

India played 29 ODI matches and won 21 and lost 7. (Source: AP)

Twenty-Twenty Internationals: In T20s India played 13 and won 9 and lost 4. Here too the men in blue tasted success in equal measure. In the recently concluded series against Sri Lanka, India won by a margin of 3-0 which in turn was their biggest series victory vs Sri Lanka in T20 Internationals.

Also for the second time in history, India managed to win three matches in a bilateral series — the first instance being against Australia. In T20 cricket India also saw its youngest debutant in Washington Sundar. This was after the Tamil-Nadu lad was handed the cap at a tender age of 18 years and 80 days. Rishabh Pant’ held the previous record at 19 years and 120 days.

India’s Yuzvendra Chahal has also eked out a place for himself in T20 history after becoming the highest wicket-taker ( 23 wickets) in T20 cricket in 2017. India also registered its biggest win in T20 cricket after beating Sri Lanka by 93 runs in Cuttack.

India also hold the record for most number of sixes in a T20 innings after slamming 21 of them against the Lankans in Indore.

India registered its biggest win in T20 cricket after beating Sri Lanka by 93 runs in Cuttack.. (Source: AP)

As far as personal records are concerned King Kohli takes center stage. With 2818 runs across all formats in 2017, Kohli notched up the third-highest tally ever recorded in a calendar year. He is also the first Indian to score more than 600 runs in three separate Test series. If the Indian team lead by its passionate captain can manage to repeat the feats of 2017 in the coming year then this team will surely become the greatest our country has ever produced. Primarily because India will be touring South Africa, England, and Australia. Earth-shattering records such as 2017 will surely help the Indian side register wins in those countries – something fans and players will be hoping for alike.