ICC Announces The Test Team Of The Year 2018

Indian National Cricket team skipper Virat Kohli, who finished 2018 as the highest scorer in the Test format will lead the ICC Test team of the Year. Meanwhile, it comprised three players from New Zealand and India, and one player each from Sri Lanka, the Windies, South Africa, Australia and Pakistan.

2018 was the year in which Test cricket took steps towards inclusiveness with Afghanistan and Ireland playing their first game in the longer formats. Of all 12 Test-playing nations, New Zealand finished with the highest win-loss ratio of 4.00.

Here is the ICC Test team of the Year:

TOM LATHAM (658 runs at 59.81)

The opener from New Zealand is the only opening batter to average more than 50 in the calendar year. Latham scored his first century of the year in December and only two fifties before that.

However, Tom Latham finished off the year in style with an unbeaten 264 and another century against Sri Lanka.

DIMUTH KARUNARATNE (743 at 46.43)

Dimuth Karunaratne had his most consistent year till date in his career scoring runs all over the world. His average of 46.43 was the best for him in any calendar year since his debut in 2012.

Karunaratne managed to score only one century in 2018 but passed 50 in eight of his 17 innings.

Kane Williamson has been one of the consistent batters around the world, and 2018 was no different. The Kiwi skipper scored 651 runs in seven matches at an average of 59.81.

Williamson’s year began with a century, a 102 against England in March 2018 and also ended on a good note with a 91 in Wellington and a 48 in Christchurch against Sri Lanka.

VIRAT KOHLI (c) (1322 at 55.08)

The year’s highest run-scorer by a country mile, Virat Kohli is on course to finish his career among the game’s best. The Indian skipper fought a lone hand for his team for much of the year, topping the run-scoring on tours of England and South Africa but still finishing on the losing side of the equation.

His five centuries have come across four different countries, and his numbers are even more remarkable when you consider the fact he only played two Tests at home in 2018. He also led his country to their first-ever series win Australia which tipped him ahead of Williamson as the leader of the side.

HENRY NICHOLLS (658 at 73.11)

After a slow start to his career, the former Sydney Thunder batsman now looks every bit the Test player. He was also New Zealand’s most reliable performer of the year with three centuries and three half-centuries across just seven Tests.

An unbeaten 162 against Sri Lanka in the Boxing Day Test helped him end the year on a high after he had begun it on a similar note with a 145* against England in March 2018.

RISHABH PANT (WK) (537 at 38.35)

It has been a breakout year for the 21-year-old wicket-keeper, batsman Rishabh Pant. Not only making his Test debut, but Pant also cemented his position as the first choice wicket-keeper batsman in the team.

He scored 537 runs from eight Tests in the year at 38.35, while batting mostly at No.7 – these were more than decent numbers.

JASON HOLDER (33 wickets at 12.39 and 336 runs at 37.33)

The Windies skipper had a superb year with the ball as no bowler took more five-wicket haul than Jason Holder. He also has the best average among bowlers who have taken more than 30 wickets.

He scored 336 runs from six Tests with two fifties while batting lower down the order making him the top choice for the all-rounder spot.

KAGISO RABADA (52 wickets at 20.07)

The premier fast bowler from South Africa, Kagiso Rabada topped the wicket-taking charts in 2018. The South African pacer started his year with a bang against India, before dismantling Australia.

He bagged 52 wickets from 10 Tests at 20.07, with two five-wicket hauls and a 10-wicket match-haul.

NATHAN LYON (49 wickets at 34.02)

It was a tight call between Lyon and Dilruwan Perera (50 at 29.32) for selection, but ultimately the Sri Lankan’s record away from home (12 at 60.91) put the Australian spinner on top.

Lyon’s numbers took a severe hit at the MCG, but it has mostly been a good year for the spinner who has become Australia’s go-to man with the ball. He picked up 49 wickets from 10 Tests including 17 from three Tests against India at home towards the end of the year.

MOHAMMAD ABBAS (38 wickets at 13.76)

Mohammad Abbas doesn’t have the pace of either Bumrah or Rabada, but he was arguably the year’s best fast bowler. Operating in the low 130km/h territory, Abbas’ incredible skills with both the new and the old ball saw him torment Ireland, England, and Australia this year.

JASPRIT BUMRAH (48 wickets at 21.02)

Jasprit Bumrah was the find for Indian National Cricket Team last year. He took 48 wickets from 10 Tests at 21.02 and played crucial roles.

He became the first Indian bowler to take three five-wicket hauls in Johannesburg, Trent Bride, and Melbourne respectively in a single year.