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The Best of the Best feature in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024
The ICC Team of the Year honours 11 exceptional players who have delivered remarkable performances in Test cricket throughout 2024.
Here’s a look at the players who earned their place for their exceptional performances in Test cricket.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
Yashasvi Jaiswal established himself as a premier Test opener and a standout figure in Indian batting during 2024. After a challenging series in South Africa, he made an impressive comeback in the home series against England, amassing a staggering 712 runs. This included two double centuries and three fifties, showcasing his dominance.
Jaiswal continued his fine form with three half-centuries in four innings as India thrashed Bangladesh at home. He was also one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing series for India, as New Zealand achieved a historic whitewash on Indian soil.
In the all-important Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Jaiswal demonstrated his class with a magnificent 161 in the second innings at Perth, bouncing back strongly after a first-innings duck. He finished as India’s top scorer in the series, accumulating 391 runs.
Over the calendar year, Jaiswal scored a remarkable 1,478 runs at an impressive average of 54.74, a tally second only to England’s Joe Root.
Ben Duckett (England)
The resilient opener played a pivotal role in England’s Test success in 2024. His aggressive batting alongside fellow opener Zak Crawley, often laid the foundation for England to post massive totals.
Ben Duckett began the year with an impressive tour of India, emerging as England’s highest run-scorer with 343 runs, highlighted by a magnificent 153 in Rajkot. He carried his form into the home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka, scoring 178 and 186 runs, respectively.
On England’s tour of Pakistan, Duckett added 262 runs in five innings, including a superb century in Multan. He followed this up with 180 runs during the New Zealand tour, capping off a productive year.
Duckett’s consistency saw him finish as the third-highest run-scorer of 2024, behind only his compatriot Joe Root and India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal. In total, he amassed 1,149 runs at an average of 37.06.
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
An injury-hit season couldn’t prevent Kane Williamson from showcasing his class as one of the finest Test batters in 2024. The year began in spectacular fashion for Williamson, as he scored centuries in both innings against South Africa in Mount Maunganui. He followed this up with another century in Hamilton, finishing the series with a remarkable 403 runs in just four innings.
However, his form dipped during Australia’s tour of New Zealand, where he managed only 77 runs in four innings. Despite this setback, Williamson rediscovered his rhythm in the latter half of the year. On the tour of Sri Lanka, he scored 138 runs in four innings, setting the stage for a stellar home series against England.
Against England, Williamson was at his best, amassing 395 runs in six innings to finish as the highest scorer of the series for both teams. His performances included two fifties and a magnificent, match-winning 156 in his final innings of the year.
Overall, Kane Williamson accumulated 1,013 runs in 2024 at an outstanding average of 59.58, making him the sixth-highest run-scorer of the year.
Joe Root (England)
Joe Root continued to dominate the longest format of the game in 2024, cementing his status as the best Test batsman of the year.
The year began on a challenging note for Root, as he struggled in the first three Tests against India. However, he turned his form around with a gritty unbeaten 122 followed by a solid 84 in the final two matches of the series.
Root’s brilliance shone through during the home series against the West Indies, where he amassed 291 runs in just four innings, including a century and two fifties. He truly etched his name into the history books during the home series against Sri Lanka, scoring a monumental 375 runs in six innings. At Lord’s, he equaled and then surpassed Alastair Cook’s record for the most Test centuries by an English player, registering centuries in both innings against Sri Lanka.
Root’s form carried over to England’s tour of Pakistan, where he stitched a record-breaking partnership with Harry Brook, scoring his career-best 262 in the process. He rounded off the year with the tour of New Zealand, scoring 218 runs in six innings, which included a fifty and a century.
In total, Joe Root accumulated 1,556 runs in 2024 at an impressive average of 55.57. He now ranks fifth on the all-time list of Test cricket’s highest run-scorers.
Harry Brook (England)
In 2024, Harry Brook firmly established himself as England’s next batting superstar. After missing the tour of India due to personal reasons, he returned in style during the home series against the West Indies, where he showcased his talent with a brilliant century of 109.
Brook continued his fine form in the home series against Sri Lanka, adding 180 runs to his tally. However, it was in the final two series of the year — against Pakistan and New Zealand — where Brook truly came into his own.
In the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, he joined Joe Root to forge a monumental partnership of 454 runs, with Brook going on to register a sensational triple century. During England’s tour of New Zealand, Brook maintained his prolific form, scoring 350 runs in six innings, including two outstanding centuries of 171 and 123.
Overall, Harry Brook amassed 1,100 runs in 2024 at an impressive average of 55, making him the fourth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket for the year.
Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
Kamindu Mendis made a triumphant return to Test cricket in 2024 after nearly a two-year hiatus, ensuring his place in the team with a series of stellar performances.
His remarkable year began with a tour of Bangladesh, where he scored centuries in both innings in Sylhet. He followed this up with an unbeaten 92* in the second match, finishing as the series' top scorer with 367 runs.
Mendis carried his superb form into the tour of England, where he emerged as Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer, accumulating 267 runs, including a century and two half-centuries. In the home series against New Zealand, Mendis continued to impress, registering two more centuries, including a career-best 182*. He concluded the year with a modest showing during the tour of South Africa, scoring 106 runs in four innings.
Overall, Kamindu Mendis amassed 1,049 runs in 2024 at an extraordinary average of 74.92, making him the fifth-highest run-scorer in Test cricket for the year.
Jamie Smith (wk) (England)
The young wicketkeeper-batter made a sensational debut for England against the West Indies in July, impressing immediately with 70 runs in his first innings and four catches in his debut match. He followed up with a brilliant 95 in Birmingham as England secured a 3-0 series win.
Smith then scored his maiden international century against Sri Lanka in Manchester, a solid 111, and backed it up with a half-century at The Oval. He continued to build on his reputation with a gritty 89 against Pakistan in Rawalpindi, further solidifying his position as England's first-choice Test wicketkeeper.
In total, Jamie Smith accumulated 637 runs in 2024 at an average of 42.46. Behind the stumps, he was involved in 32 dismissals, including 31 catches and one stumping.
Ravindra Jadeja (India)
Ravindra Jadeja had an outstanding start to 2024, scoring 89 runs and taking five wickets in the first match against England in Hyderabad. He followed it up with his fourth Test century in Rajkot, where he scored 100, took seven wickets, and played a key role in India’s victory, earning the Player of the Match award.
In the home series against Bangladesh, Jadeja contributed 94 runs in two innings, including a crucial 86, and also took nine wickets. Against New Zealand at home, he excelled with the ball, claiming 16 wickets, including a remarkable 10-wicket haul at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Jadeja’s all-round skills continued to shine with a crucial 77 runs against Australia at the Gabba, followed by four wickets in his final match of the year in Melbourne.
In total, Ravindra Jadeja scored 527 runs in 2024 at an average of 29.27 and picked up 48 wickets at an impressive average of 24.29.
Pat Cummins (c) (Australia)
Pat Cummins has been named captain of the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year for a second consecutive year. The Australian captain has led his team to series victories against the West Indies, New Zealand, and most notably India, claiming a 3-1 victory to clinch the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a 10-year gap. Cummins has not only been an outstanding leader but has also made significant contributions with both bat and ball.
He began the year with a strong performance against the West Indies, taking five wickets and scoring an unbeaten 64*, his highest Test score. He followed it up with six wickets in four innings against New Zealand, along with 79 runs.
However, his most significant achievement came in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he led Australia to a remarkable 3-1 series win after they trailed 1-0 following the first Test in Perth. Cummins was Australia's leading wicket-taker in the series, claiming 25 wickets, second only to Jasprit Bumrah in the overall tally. He also contributed with the bat, scoring 158 runs across eight innings.
In total, Pat Cummins took 37 wickets in 2024 at an average of 24.02 and scored 306 runs, averaging 23.53.
Matt Henry (New Zealand)
Matt Henry began 2024 with a home series against South Africa, where he delivered solid performances, picking up a total of six wickets. However, it was in the home series against Australia in which he truly showcased his class, claiming 17 wickets, the most in the series. This included a remarkable eight-wicket haul in Wellington followed by nine wickets in Christchurch, where he was a standout performer for New Zealand in what was otherwise a forgettable series for the team.
Henry continued his impressive form during New Zealand's tour of India, where he claimed 10 wickets in a series dominated by pitches favoring spinners. His standout performance came in Bengaluru, where he took eight wickets in a match New Zealand won comfortably.
In the final assignment of the year, Henry picked up 15 wickets against England from three Tests at home, finishing as the second-highest wicket-taker in the series.
In total, Matt Henry took 48 wickets in 2024 at an exceptional average of 18.58, ranking fourth overall in the list of most wickets for the year.
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Jasprit Bumrah was nothing short of magical in 2024, dominating every team and every batter he bowled to.
He began the year with a stellar performance against England, taking 19 wickets in four matches, including a remarkable nine-wicket haul in Vishakhapatnam. At home against Bangladesh, he further extended his tally with 11 wickets in just two games. Although his outing against New Zealand was subdued, where he picked up three wickets, it was against Australia that Bumrah truly cemented his legacy as one of the greatest bowlers of all time.
In the absence of full-time skipper Rohit Sharma, Bumrah led India in the first match against Australia and delivered a mesmerizing spell of 5/30. He followed it up with three more wickets in the second innings, guiding India to a memorable victory in Perth. He continued to shine with four wickets in the Pink Ball Test in Adelaide and showcased his firepower in Brisbane, taking 9 wickets to help India secure a crucial draw. He seized another nine-wicket haul in Melbourne.
Bumrah became the first bowler to average under 20 with a minimum of 200 wickets in Test cricket, further solidifying his place in history.
In total, Jasprit Bumrah took 71 wickets in 2024 at an astonishing average of 14.92, finishing as the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket for the year.
SOURCE: https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/th...e-in-the-icc-men-s-test-team-of-the-year-2024
