Test team of the year: Only two Australians in our World XI
THERE are still two Boxing Day Tests to go but as an early Christmas present we’ve put together our Test team of the year for 2016.
It was a huge year of cricket all around the globe, with three different sides sitting atop the Test rankings in the space of two months.
Deservedly, India ended the year on top, with nine victories and zero losses across 12 Tests.
Despite this the side only has two players in our 11, which says a lot about how Virat Kohli’s men have operated as a unit rather than as individuals.
There are also only two Australians in the side, though unlike India this says far more about how tough a year it has been for the country.
Without further ado, the team of the year for 2016.
KRAIGG BRATHWAITE — WEST INDIES
613 runs at 55.72 across eight Tests, one century, high score of 142 not out
Remember the name, Kraigg Brathwaite. The 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength as a Test opener this year, passing 50 in six of his 14 innings. Fittingly, he was man of the match in the Windies’ only Test win of the year, notching an unbeaten 142 and 60 in a win over Pakistan in Sharjah.
AZHAR ALI — PAKISTAN
950 runs at 45.38 across 10 Tests, two centuries, high score of 302 not out
Azhar’s numbers are somewhat padded out by a triple-century in batting friendly conditions against the West Indies but even when he wasn’t scoring runs, he was doing an outstanding job dulling the new ball. His 14 innings at the top of the order lasted an average of 112.79 deliveries — the most of any opener in the world.
Honourable mention: Alastair Cook (England — 1270 at 46.86, two centuries)
JOE ROOT — ENGLAND
1477 at 49.23 across 17 Tests, three centuries, high score of 254
Root finished the year with an average below 50 but still enjoyed a memorable 12 months, finishing on top of the run-scoring charts. He also averaged close to 50 (49.10) for England during a 4-0 series defeat at the hands of India.
Honourable mention: Cheteshwar Pujara (India — 836 at 55.72 across 11 Tests, three centuries)
VIRAT KOHLI — INDIA (CAPTAIN)
1215 at 75.93 across 12 Tests, four centuries, high score of 235
Kohli finished the year with the best average of any player who batted at least five times and finished with the equal most centuries of the year. The man he tied with, Moeen Ali, had the advantage of playing 11 more innings. Three of Kohli’s four centuries went past 200 and the skipper did not taste defeat once, with India winning nine of its 12 Tests. It was a good year.
Honourable mention: Craig Ervine (Zimbabwe — 384 runs at 48.00, one century)
STEVE SMITH — AUSTRALIA
914 runs at 60.93 across 10 Tests, three centuries, high score of 138
It’s been a tough year for the Australian team in the Test arena, but Smith has barely let his standards slip. The 27-year-old was one of only two Australians to score a century in Sri Lanka and eight of his 17 innings went past 50.
Honourable mention: Ajinkya Rahane (India — 653 at 54.41, two centuries)
JONNY BAIRSTOW — ENGLAND (WICKETKEEPER)
1470 at 58.80 across 17 Tests, three centuries, high score of 167 not out
66 catches, four stumpings
It says a lot about Bairstow’s year that he’s been picked over Quinton de Kock, who averaged 65.44 with the bat. The Englishman came second on the 2016 run-scoring charts and completed more dismissals than any other keeper, taking more than twice as many (70) as second-placed Sarfraz Ahmed.
Honourable mention: Quinton de Kock (South Africa — 589 runs at 65.55, two centuries, 28 dismissals)
BEN STOKES — ENGLAND
904 runs at 45.20 across 12 Tests, two centuries, high score of 258 not out
33 wickets at 25.81, one five-wicket haul, best of 5-73
Considering the batting ahead of him and the ability of the next man in the order, this side doesn’t really need an all-rounder like Stokes and we could have opted for another specialist bowler.
Still, Stokes’ numbers this year demand selection. The 25-year-old scored almost as many runs as Smith this year and took more wickets than Trent Boult. Admittedly, he played more cricket than both Smith and Boult. Nevertheless, he had a batting average nearly 20 runs higher than his bowling average and you can’t ask much more of an all-rounder.
Honourable mention: Neil Wagner (New Zealand — 41 wickets at 21.04, three five-fors)
RAVI ASHWIN — INDIA
72 wickets at 23.90 across 12 Tests, eight five-wicket hauls, three 10-wicket matches, best of 7-59
612 runs at 43.71, two centuries, best of 118
For the second year in a row Ashwin has topped the wicket-taking charts, bettering his 2015 tally by 10 wickets. Ashwin was also superb with the bat this year — he’s got more runs than David Warner (604) off four fewer innings — giving India the freedom to play with five specialist bowlers.
Honourable mention: Ravi Jadeja (43 wicket at 24.5, two five-fors)
MITCHELL STARC — AUSTRALIA
45 wickets at 21.51 across seven Test, three five-wicket hauls, one 10-wicket match, best of 6-50
Despite missing three Tests through injury and enduring two lengthy lay-offs, Starc finished fourth on the wicket-taking charts. If the quick takes two more wickets in the Boxing Day Test, 2016 will go down as his best year yet in Test cricket, bettering last year’s tally of 46 wickets.
Honourable mention: Stuart Broad (England — 48 wickets at 26.56, one five-for)
RANGANA HERATH — SRI LANKA
54 wickets at 17.52 across eight Tests, five five-wickets hauls, two 10-wicket matches, best of 8-63
Having endured a torrid tour of England (seven wickets at 43.28), Herath bounced back to finish second on the wicket-takers’ charts for the year. Nineteen of his wickets came against Zimbabwe, but 28 of them came against an Australian side that arrived in Sri Lanka as the No.1 team in the world.
Honourable mention: James Anderson (England — 41 wickets at 23.73, three five-fors)
KAGISO RABADA — SOUTH AFRICA
42 wickets at 22.23 across eight Tests, four five-wicket hauls, one 10-wicket match, best of 7-112
Believe it or not, Rabada actually had a tough start to his Test career, averaging 55.50 with the ball across his first three Tests against India late last year. Since then he’s been close to perfect. This year he’s played series against England, New Zealand and Australia. His averages in those series read 21.90, 23.20, 22.40.
Honourable mention: Chris Woakes (England — 41 wickets at 25.41, two five-fors)
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