With the barest bowling cupboard in a long time, more powerful batting equipments and batsmen, increasing prominence of batting friendly versions like one-day and T20 matches, coupled with dead wickets, it is being claimed that we are witnessing an "age of batting". Some of the batting statistics from the recent past lend ample credence to this arguement.
1. Kumara Sangakkara - In the 17 months since he relinquished the wicketkeeping duties, he has amassed seven centuries in 14 Test innings - four of them unbeaten, six in excess of 150. His average in the 22 Tests he has played solely as a batsman sits at an incredible 96.40.
2. Ricky Ponting - In 9 consecutive tests in 2005-07, he averaged 102.15 with 8 centuries in 17 innings.
3. Jacques Kallis - In his last five tests, he has scored 846 runs with 5 centuries at an average of 120.85. This includes 5 centuries in the last seven innings.
4. Mohammad Yousuf - In 2006-07, over 8 consecutive innings he scored 6 centuries, including three 190s. In 2006-07 he scored 816 runs in 5 tests at an average of 90.66
5. Mike Hussey - Has a career average of 86.18 in the 18 tests he has played, scoring 1896 runs with 7 centuries.
6. Batting averages - Of the top 42 batting averages of all time, 15 are playing now. Of the 35 batmen with average above 50, 10 are present day players.
7. Runs scored - Of the top 8 all time highest run getters, 4 are present players and one retired only recently.
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