Stokes leads ICC Men's Test Team of the Year 2022
The ICC's Men's Test Team of the Year 2022 has been revealed on Tuesday. England skipper and star all-rounder Ben Stokes leads the side. Notably, Rishabh Pant is the only Indian cricketer in the XI. He is the wicket-keeper batter. Four Australian players have been included with England boasting three internationals as well. Here we present the details.
ICC Men's Test Team of the Year
Usman Khawaja (Australia), Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies), Marnus Labuschagne (Australia), Babar Azam (Pakistan), Rishabh Pant (India), Jonny Bairstow (England), Ben Stokes (England), Pat Cummins (Australia), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Nathan Lyon (Australia), and James Anderson (England).
Openers Khawaja and Brathwaite lead upfront
Australia's Khawaja opens the batting alongside veteran West Indian star Kraigg Brathwaite in this side. Khawaja finished the year with 1,080 runs, hammering four tons and five fifties at 67.50. He plundered 496 runs and averaged 165.33 in the series win in Pakistan. Meanwhile, Brathwaite showed his mettle for WI, scoring 687 runs at 62.45. He smashed a superb century in Perth versus Australia.
Labuschagne follows suit; Babar comes in at number 4
Australia's Labuschagne comes in at number 3. His 957 runs across the year came at an average of 56.29. Labuschagne scored a remarkable 502 runs from just four innings against West Indies. Pakistan skipper Babar finished 2022 as the highest run-scorer in the longes format. Babar mustered 1,184 runs at an average of 69.64. He slammed four tons and seven fifties.
English duo form the crux
England's Bairstow enjoyed himself, despite suffering a broken leg that ruled him out of the winter tour of Pakistan. He had a magnificent English summer, clocking scores of 136, 162, 71*, 106, and 114*. He scored 1,061 runs at 66.31, hammering six tons and a fifty. He struck at 76.00. Stokes comes in as the all-rounder, scoring 870 runs and picking 26 scalps.
Pant the lone Indian
Pant was the lone Indian to be included in this playing 11. Across seven test matches, Pant scored 680 runs at 61.81. He hammered 4 half-centuries and two centuries. He smashed 21 sixes and produced six stumpings, besides taking 23 catches.
Bowlers present in the side
Across 10 matches in 2022, Aussie skipper Cummins took 36 wickets at an average of just 21.83. He led his side to the top of the World Test Championship standings. Rabada claimed 47 wickets from nine matches across 2022 at 22.25. Lyon took 47 wickets in 11 Tests at an average of 29.06. Hard-working Anderson took 36 wickets at just 19.8.
