Jamie, you'll need to take pictures and include them in a follow up posting. I'd like to see the 'buds' as well as the indented leaves.

If you couldn't rub the 'buds' off they are not likely to be insects or their eggs. Possibly adventitious roots sprouting? Plus Basil often has naturally ruffled or puckered leaves.

A picture would settle it.

This is after rubbing off some of the buds. Yesterday when I checked on it again the small leaves at the top, there weren't many, had black patches.

Thank you

Oh for the indented leaves I see what you mean, nothing abnormal hahaha thanks! :D

Yes - all looks normal. However, if you bought these plants recently and are keeping them indoors they may not thrive. Basil needs as much light as you can possibly give it but is still tricky inside the house. Where do you live? Do you get much winter sun?

Does that plant look terribly wilted, or is it just me?

Possibly. A shot of the whole plant would confirm overall appearance.

It's ok, I'm living in Singapore so there's sunlight all year round. And I put my basil right in front of the window so it gets plenty of sunlight. My main worry was whether the plant might even get a fungal infection 'cause I read somewhere that ashes may carry spores? And it's the haze season here.

Oh it looks wilted because this picture was taken before watering :P

Thank you all for your help!

Well, wind carries spores whether there's ash in it or not. I don't know whether ash from slash-and-burn carries an increased abundance of spores, but I wouldn't worry about the haze too much if you're keeping it inside.