Iyer was the epitome of consistency and calmness in 2022, outdoing the likes of star batters like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and KL Rahul.
In 2022, India played a lot of cricket. While the Men in Blue enjoyed a high victory rate in bilateral series, they were unable to reproduce such results in multi-nation events such as Asia Cup and the T220 World Cup. Notably, India was eliminated from the Asia Cup 2022 group stage and lost to England by 10 wickets in the T20 World Cup 2022 Semifinal. Despite these huge setbacks, India maintained a positive overall win ratio.
India won 46 of the 71 matches it played across formats (7 Tests, 24 ODIs, and 40 T20Is). While India won four of seven Tests, they won 14 One-Day Internationals. India has a victory percentage of 70% in T20Is (winning 28 out of 40 matches).
With the growing volume of cricket, a number of names were given the opportunity to play for India. However, a few names remained in the starting XI throughout formats on a regular basis. This also provided such players with an opportunity to capitalise on the opportunity and flourish in their respective departments.
Established players like Rishabh Pant were among the highest run-scorers for Team India in 2022, while the likes of Yuzvendra Chahal were amongst the wickets.
Here are five Indian batters who had a breakthrough year in 2022.
1. Shreyas Iyer- 1,609 runs
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Iyer ended 2022 with 1,609 international runs at an average of 48.75. He scored one century and 14 half-centuries with a best of 113 not out.
In five Test matches, Iyer scored 422 runs across eight innings at an average of 60.28, with four half-centuries. He ended the year with the best Test score of 92.
In 17 One-Day Internationals, he scored 724 runs at an average of 55.69. In the format, he was exceptionally consistent, scoring one century and six half-centuries in his 15-innings with a top score of 113*.
Iyer also performed admirably in T20Is, scoring 463 runs at an average of 35.61 and hitting at a strike rate of 141.15. In 2022, he struck four half-centuries in the 20-over format, with a top score of 74*.
2. Suryakumar Yadav- 1,424 runs
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Suryakumatr hit 1164 runs in 31 matches at an average of 46.56, capping off one of the finest seasons by any international cricketer in the shortest format. During his incredible 2022 season, the Team India hero also had an astonishing strike rate of 187.43. Suryakumar finished the 2022 season as the highest run-getter, shattering a slew of records. In the 2022 season, the white-ball maverick smashed 68 sixes, the most by any T20I hitter in a year.
3. Rishabh Pant- 1,380 runs
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In 2022, Rishabh Pant was India's top Test batter. He scored 680 runs at an average of 61.81 in seven Tests in the year. The hard-hitting southpaw has a strike rate of 90.90 in the longer format. Pant finished 2022 with two Test tonnes and four fifties, the highest of which was 146.
Pant scored 336 runs at an average of 37.33 in 12 One-Day Internationals with one century, two fifties, and a top score of 125*. Pant's willow scored 364 runs in 25 T20Is and 21 innings in 2022, an average of slightly over 21, with one half-century at a strike rate of 132.84. Overall, he has scored 1,380 runs in 43 innings averaging 37. 29 with 3 centuries and 7 fifties.
4. Virat Kohli- 1,348 runs
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Despite facing a tough stretch in the first half of 2022, star batter Virat Kohli's stats were boosted. The Delhi-born batter had a poor Test season. Virat only scored 265 runs at an average of 26.50 in six Tests and 11 innings in 2022, with one half-century. His ODI statistics are slightly better. In 11 One-Day Internationals, he scored 302 runs at an average of 27.45, with one century, two fifties, and a top score of 113.
Virat's T20I statistics, on the other hand, are remarkable. He scored 781 runs at an average of 55.78 in 20 matches with one century and eight half-centuries. Overall, Virat scored 1,348 runs at an average of 38.51 with two centuries and 11 fifties. His best score was 122*.
5. Rohit Sharma- 995 runs
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In 2022, Indian captain Rohit Sharma too struggled to live up to his 'Hitman' moniker on multiple occasions. Rohit scored 90 runs at an average of 30 in two Tests with a top score of 46.
In eight One-Day Internationals, he scored 249 runs at an average of 41.50, including three half-centuries and a top of 76*.
Rohit scored 656 runs in 29 T20I innings with three half-centuries and a top score of 72, at an average of 24.29 and a strike rate of 134.42. Rohit scored 995 runs in 40 innings, falling short of the 1000-run milestone. These runs averaged 27.63, including six fifties. For the first time since 2012, he went a complete year without scoring an international century.
