CricFit”s Test Team of the Year: The second segment of Rewind 2015 emphasises on the top performers at Test level, who have shined resplendently in 2015. Only last week, the ICC announced the Test and ODI Teams of the Year for 2015. Following the footsteps of international cricket’s governing body; Cric Fit has made a genuine effort to pick a squad involving the 15 best Test players of 2015. And, here goes the list.
Disclaimer- The selection of the following players has been done in accordance with the conventional ICC format of picking a 12 member squad. The period under consideration ranges from 1st January, 2015 to 12th December 2015.
THE OPENERS
DAVID WARNER
The hoary Biblical story of David and Goliath suggests that a nine feet tall Philistine giant named Goliath, accompanied by a troop of Philistine soldiers had gathered for war against Israel.
He was slayed in the end, for the betterment of the Israelites, by none but the youngest son of Jesse also called Goliath who did the seemingly impossible when the latter was in his teens.
David Andrew Warner, who is gradually turning into an allegory of the fabled David, has been taking the bowlers apart with his raging Gray-Nicolls ‘Kaboom’ in white uniform in 2015. The 29 year old left handed opener from New South Wales has amassed 1277 runs in 22 Test innings at an enviable average of 58.04 with 4 centuries and 7 fifties in the calendar year. Although, he couldn’t live up to what was expected of him in the Ashes in England, the latter part of the year has seen him caress two consecutive tons against New Zealand in Brisbane (163) and Perth (253) respectively.
ALASTAIR COOK (CAPTAIN)
For someone who has scored over 1350 runs in Tests in a calendar year, it becomes imperative for us to hand him a place in the ‘Squad of Elites’. The English Test skipper has pretty much snowballed runs in 2015, having scored 1357 runs in 24 innings at a stellar average of 56.54 with 3 tons and 8 half-centuries to his credit. Not just that, the Essex and England opener happens to be the highest run scorer in Tests this year. Earlier in May this year, he surpassed former England Captain Graham Gooch to become England’s all time highest run scorer in the longest format when he scored 75 against a touring New Zealand side in Headingley. 2015 has been Cook’s year in Test cricket in many ways, owing to the fact that he has set records galore in the past 12 months. The following statistics depict Cook’s dream ‘run’ in 2015.
May, 2015- Most Test runs than anybody else in the past decade.
June, 2015- Youngest batsman to reach 9000 Test runs.
August 2015- First English cricketer to be involved in 50 Test wins.
October, 2015- Longest England Test innings (836 minutes), third highest of all time.
First player in Test history to score over 1000 runs against 6 Test playing nations.
He became the all-time highest non-Asian run scorer in Asia.
His monumental knock of 263 against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in October demands special mention in this instance. As a Captain, Cook has won 5, lost 6 and drawn 2 Tests in 2015. Nonetheless, Alastair Cook with his relentless aptitude for runs and ability to force comebacks makes him an ideal candidate for the role of captaincy in the side.
Given his graceful and elegant approach to the game, Cook’s partnership with Warner at the top of the order is bound to extend loads of flamboyance and style to the squad. Here’s hoping they will brush aside all their supposed conflicts once they step on the fictional 22 yards.
THE MIDDLE ORDER
STEVE SMITH
Call him quirky, unorthodox or unconventional, the 26 year old right handed batsman from New South will keep piling up the runs and conquering records against some of the best teams in business.
The current Australian Test skipper has hit 5 centuries and 4 fifties en route to his 1082 runs in 2015. He averages 49.18 during this period which is a remarkable record anyway, even though it has declined a bit in the latter part of the year. The 2014/15 Border Gavaskar Trophy played down under marked his reincarnation as a Test batsman, where he scored 769 runs at a humungous average of 128.16. Later, he went on to script his maiden Test double century by scoring an effusive 215 in the 2nd Ashes Test at LORD’S; the home of cricket. In a series where majority of his compatriots failed to deliver anything significant, Smith stood out and finished with 508 runs in the 5 match Test series. He is currently ranked No. 1 in the ICC Test Rankings for batsmen, a status he primarily grasped in June earlier this year. A position which has testified to the ascendance of some of the best batsmen to have ever graced the field, Steve Smith has a mountain to climb if he intends to cement his place at No. 3 in the Aussie batting line-up in the near future.
KANE WILLIAMSON
Fabulous. Without a pinch of exaggeration, it would be safe to remark that Kane Williamson has become an epitome of the aforementioned adjective. The right handed middle order batsman from Northern Districts has exhibited a string of solid performances in 2015 and looks all set to clinch the crown of batting supremacy anytime soon. The year began on a glorious note for him as he hit a career best 242* against Sri Lanka in Wellington in January. Since then, he has accumulated 992 runs from 12 Test innings at a substantial average of 82.66 with 4 Test hundreds and 3 Test fifties.
In the recently concluded Trans-Tasmanian Test series between Australia and New Zealand, he amassed 428 runs in 5 innings at an average of 85.6.
Williamson has scored 4386 international runs since the start of 2014, which is the most by any batsman during the period. There’s no denying the fact that he has the numbers to advocate for him, but still, he hasn’t played any Test outside the realms of Oceania this year, which is the sole deficiency in his track record in 2015. The No. 4 slot occupies a distinct corner in the hearts of the cricket frenzied public. Fortunately, the widely sought after position has been conferred to Williamson in this side, akin to the one which was occupied by his role model Sachin Tendulkar until 2 years ago.
JOE ROOT
He was indeed the ‘Root’ of all problems for Australia in the Ashes held in England earlier this year. A competent operator on the crease, Root has evolved into a proficient batsman who is equally adept against pace and spin. He had a commendable run in England’s tour of West Indies in April, where he scored 358 runs in 3 Tests at an average of 89.5. His sublime form with the bat continued throughout the 5 match Ashes series, where he produced 460 runs at an impressive average of 57.5. In totality, Root has notched up 1288 runs this year at a mammoth average of 53.66 with 3 hundreds and 9 fifties (with a top score of 182* in Grenada). In October, he leapfrogged Steven Smith to claim the numero uno status in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen. The 24 year old Yorkshire man displayed his class in the recently concluded Test series between Pakistan and England in the UAE, where he faced the likes of Yasir Shah and Wahab Riaz with utmost confidence. Add to that his prowess as a part time off break bowler, and what you get is a fine player who can do a tidy job with the ball whenever he is called upon to do so.
YOUNIS KHAN
This old warhorse has made it to a squad comprising mainly youngsters on the back of some solid performances in 2015. Like Alastair Cook, Younis also became the leading run scorer of his nation in Tests by springing over Pakistani legend Javed Miandad’s tally of 8832 runs in white uniform. Moreover, he became the first Pakistani player to cross the 9000 run mark in Test cricket when he took to field at the Dubai Sports Complex against England in October while playing his 103rd Test match. The 38 year old stalwart from Mardan has bulldozed innumerable records in the course of his 15 year long career. From being the only Pakistani batsman to have scored centuries against all Test playing nations to boasting of the best average in the 4th innings among all batsmen of the 21st century, Younis has conquered several such obscure records. His track record includes 30 Test centuries, which is a record for the most number of centuries scored by a Pakistani in the longest format. An exemplary model of the Gentleman’s Game, the former Pakistan Captain has slammed 789 Test runs in 14 innings this year at a striking average of 56.35 accompanied by 3 centuries and a half century. His highest score of 171* came against Sri Lanka in Pallekele earlier this year, when his defiant knock inspired Pakistan to their highest ever chase in the history of Test cricket as they successfully chased down 382 and sealed the series 2-1. His competence to hang around with the tail enders during crisis situations makes him an apt candidate to embrace the number 6 slot in this dream team.
THE WICKET-KEEPER
DINESH CHANDIMAL (WICKET-KEEPER)
Dinesh Chandimal is the wicket-keeper in CricFit”s Test Team of the Year
‘’One man goes and another steps in’’.
This famous proverb of French origin holds good across all ages. When Kumar Sangakkara bid adieu to Test cricket in August, cricket enthusiasts in general and Lankan fans in particular were left concerned at the farewell of one of the finest players of the modern era. Although he had stopped keeping wickets in Tests after 2009, the quest for a talented middle order batsman in Test cricket had become a baffling the Lankan selectors up until Dinesh Chandimal stepped in and reduced their worries to a great extent. The 26 year old wicket keeper batsman from Balapitiya struck a gritty ton in the 2nd innings of Sri Lanka’s first Test against India in Galle and propelled the Lankans to a dramatic turnaround against the visitors. He scored 288 Test runs in 6 innings at an amazing average of 48 in Sri Lanka’s 3 match home series against India. Chandimal has amassed 792 runs in 17 innings at an average of 46.59 with 2 tons and 4 fifties in 2015- an effort which has cemented his place in the Sri Lankan batting line-up. The Lankan prodigy who is endowed with loads of talent behind the stumps has affected 22 dismissals (18 catches and 4 stumpings) in 11 games this year and has been selected as the glove man in this incredible squad.
THE BOWLERS
RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN
What a year this man has had. What impact he has been exerting on the Indian team since January 2015. No matter how tired you have become of praising him time and again, this gentleman doesn’t cease to surprise you and compel you from making such lofty exclamations more often than not. The engineer turned cricketer has scalped 62 Test wickets in this calendar year; the most taken by a bowler in 2015 so far. Despite the fact that he made a scratchy start to his Test campaign in 2015, the spin wizard from Chennai kept improving with each outing in Indian colours and has today reached a stage where he has equalled a cerain Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag’s record of winning 5 ‘Man of the Series’ awards in Test matches. The off-spinner started off the year by picking up 5 wickets at the SCG in the final Test of the 2014/15 Border-Gavaskar series, followed it with a five wicket haul against Bangladesh in Fatullah and further boosted his reputation by scalping 21 wickets and 31 wickets against Sri Lanka and South Africa respectively. Former Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara was tormented throughout Sri Lanka’s home series against India where Ashwin dismissed him on 4 occasions. Ashwin has also made significant contributions down the order at No. 8, having struck 2 valuable fifties against Sri Lanka and South Africa this year. The 29 year old has taken 41% of all Indian wickets and 70% of all five wicket hauls (7 out if 10) and two 10 wicket maidens since June 2015. He is currently ranked 2nd in the ICC Test Rankings for bowlers and 1st in the ICC Test rankings for all-rounders.
STUART BROAD
Stuart has literally carried the weight of England’s expectations on his ‘Broad’ shoulders. The 6 feet 6 inches tall pacer from Nottinghamshire has performed exceedingly well in white uniform this year. He led the charge in England’s bowling department against the touring Aussies in the Ashes. He flourished in England’s 2 match home series against New Zealand by taking 13 wickets. Broad displayed an exuberant display of pace bowling in the Ashes which followed and finished the 5 match series on a tremendous note, picking up 21 wickets. He tormented the famous Australian line up comprising the likes of David Warner, Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke and Steven Smith by grabbing a career best 8/15 in the fourth game of the series at his home ground in Trent Bridge. The 29 year old has scalped 51 wickets in 13 games this year at a bowling average of 25.11 with 2 five wicket hauls in his bag. His partnership with Ashwin in this imaginary side is expected to be a lethal proposition for the oppositions as the latter will be able to extract some purchase out of the tracks owing to the roughs created by Broad.
YASIR SHAH
How many times has it happened in the history of Test cricket that a bowler has taken over 45 wickets in his breakthrough season? Indian spin legend Anil Kumble had grabbed 50 wickets by the time he had finished playing his 10th Test match. Yasir Shah is apparently following the footsteps of ‘Jumbo’ it seems as he has grabbed 49 scalps in 7 games (including 3 five wicket hauls) at an average of 23 with his best figures in an innings of 7/76 coming against Sri Lanka in Galle in June earlier this year. The leg spinner scalped 24 wickets in Pakistan’s away Test series against Sri Lanka and was adjudged the ‘Man of the Series’ for his valiant effort with the ball against England in the series that followed. The 28 year old leggie, who burst onto the scene in 2014; thanks to an impressive outing against the Aussies, has had a terrific run in this calendar year and promises to add some versatility to the squad. This vital member of the current Pakistani set up ranks 4th in the ICC Test Rankings for bowlers.
JOSH HAZLEWOOD
It is difficult to crack a hazelnut. It’s equally grim to crack this arcane piece of puzzle called Josh Hazlewood. He neither has the pace that a certain Mitchell Johnson nor does he has the impeccable control as exhibited by his compatriot Mitchell Starc. Yet, he has turned out to be a significant cog in the wheel in the Australian team. Like Yasir Shah, Hazlewood too, has come up through the ranks in 2015. The 24 year old lanky pacer from Victoria has grabbed 51 Test wickets in 10 games at a wonderful average of 21.67 with 2 five wicket hauls (his best figures of 6/70 in an innings came against New Zealand in the first ever D/N Test in Adelaide, where he was rightly adjudged the ‘Man of the Match’). What’s pleasing to the Australians is the fact that he has declared himself ready to take on the mantle of spearheading the Aussie bowling attack in the absence of the injured Mitchell Starc and the retired Mitchell Johnson. Australia has a rich legacy of robust, sturdy fast bowlers and Hazlewood’s steady ascendance is expected to enhance the list in the near future.
THE TWELFTH MAN
TRENT BOULT
Trent Boult
This man’s accession to the ultimate file of Test bowlers in contemporary cricket has come as a ‘Boult from the blue’. The Northern Districts left arm pacer’s distinction lies in the fact that he is an articulate practitioner of bowling wicket to wicket deliveries. The 26 year old puts special emphasis on maintaining a consistent line and length, which in turn has fetched his unthinkable success in international cricket in general and Test cricket in particular. Boult has grabbed 32 Test wickets in 2015 at a reasonable average of 31.06 with 2 five wicket hauls and best bowling figures of 5/60 in an innings (which came against Australia in the recently concluded D/N Test match in Adelaide). Boult’s rise to the top is nothing but a reflection of New Zealand’s fine blueprint of nurturing budding cricketers which aims at exposing the youth to the longest format first and later gives them the opportunity to shine in limited overs cricket. He finished as the joint highest wicket taker (along with Mitchell Starc who also took 22 wickets in the tournament) in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and has established himself as the main strike bowler for Brendon McCullum and Co. and has overshadowed Tim Southee’s status in the side. Boult looks to emulate his idol and former Kiwi fast bowler Shane Bond which is gradually becoming evident in his bowling. The 6th placed bowler in the ICC Test Rankings for bowlers has thereby been accorded the position of the twelfth man in the squad.
We have the honour to congratulate all the candidates who have made it to Cric Fit’s Test team of the year. Hopefully, 2016 will be a bigger and better year for the longest format of the game.
