Pat Cummins leads ICC Men's Test Team of the Year
The International Cricket Council (ICC) revealed the Men's Test Team of the Year 2023 on January 23. As many as five players from Australia, the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 winners, feature in the XI. Pat Cummins leads the star-studded side that also includes Indian all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Have a look at the ICC Men's Test Team of the Year 2023.
Khawaja, Karunaratne open the innings
Australia's Usman Khawaja, who led the Test runs column in 2023, opens the innings for the ICC Test XI alongside Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne. Khawaja finished as the only batter with over 1,000 Test runs (1,210) in 2023. His magnificent run included three tons. Karunaratne slammed 608 runs at 60.8. He was the only Lankan batter with over 600 Test runs last year.
Williamson comes in at number three
New Zealand's Kane Williamson has had an injury-curtailed run of late. The right-handed batter slammed 695 runs from just seven Tests at 57.91. His tally of four Test centuries is the most for a batter in 2023. In March, Williamson scored his sixth Test double-century in the 2nd Test against Sri Lanka. He ended up scoring 215 off 296 balls (23 fours, 2 sixes).
Middle order includes Root, Head, Jadeja, and Carey
Joe Root scored 787 runs from eight Tests at 65.58. The tally includes two tons. Travis Head showcased his attacking brand (919 runs at 41.77). He smashed a match-winning 163 in the WTC final. Jadeja took 33 wickets from seven games at 19.39 and averaged over 35 with the bat (281 runs). Wicket-keeper Alex Carey smashed 461 runs and recorded 54 dismissals.
Carey shone behind the stumps
Carey was the only player to register over 50 dismissals as wicket-keeper in 2023. No other wicket-keeper had more than 31 dismissals in this regard. Carey's tally included 44 catches and 10 stumpings in 13 Tests.
Ashwin is the only specialist spinner
Cummins finished as the highest wicket-taker among pacers in 2023 (42 wickets at 27.50). He also led Australia to the WTC final. His compatriot Mitchell Starc and England's Stuart Broad took the same number of wickets (38). The also bid adieu to Tests. Ashwin, the only specialist spinner in the XI, scalped 41 wickets at 17.02). With the bat, he slammed a half-century.
ICC Men's Test XI of 2023
ICC men's Test XI of 2023: Usman Khawaja, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (captain), and Stuart Broad.
