Australia remain alive in their bid to defend their World Test championship against South Africa in June but it is a mark of the topsy-turvy nature of cricket at the highest level that only one player from either county makes my best team of the year.
And that selection – spinner Keshav Maharaj – probably comes as a surprise given the higher profiles of numerous players from either team.
In a year marked by frenetic scoring – the rate of 3.64 runs per over is the highest in 147 years of Test history – and spectacular collapses – team scores of 42, 46, 55 and 88 attest to that – there was barely any grey amid the black and white performances.
It is a reflection of the batting volatility that team scores of 823, 699 and 602 were posted but the average for every wicket – 28.60 – was lowered in just 37 years, mostly before World War I which marked the shift towards industrial run-making.
The batting order was relatively straightforward to pick.
The top six is comprised of the only batsmen to reach 1000 runs this year while the order was made simple by that group including two openers, a classy No.3, a game-changing No.4 in the prime of a brilliant career and two prolific middle order dashers.
There was no room for Australia’s talismanic Travis Head whose tally of 608 runs was exceeded by 17 other batsmen.
Head’s best was outstanding but he only reached 30 four times in the year. Consistency is a fundamental element in this team.
The biggest challenges came in identifying the best wicketkeeper and spinner.
England’s Jamie Smith, who admitted he needed to brush up on the Laws after being called for a rare no-ball because his gloves were in front of the stumps, gets the nod ahead of a group of moderately performed candidates.
Smith has spent just six months in Test ranks but averaged nearly 50 in England wins, was neat behind the stumps and could be his country’s gloveman for the next decade.
Maharaj’s orthodox left-arm spin was invaluable in South Africa’s push towards the world title decider.
He produced the best balance between attack and defence to be the only spinner in world cricket to strike at better than 42 balls a wicket and give up fewer than 3 runs an over.
Maharaj’s ability to complement his team’s battery of quicks, and contribute strongly to critical wins, meant he got the nod ahead of England newcomer Shoaib Bashir (49 wickets at 40), India’s Ravi twins Jadeja (48 at 24) and Ashwin (47 at 27), Sri Lanka’s mature-age revelation Prabath Jayasuriya (48 at 32) and evergreen Australian Nathan Lyon (33 at 22).
Seamer Gus Atkinson made a brilliant start to his England career with 52 wickets, a valuable century as a highly capable lower order hitter and more wickets in victories than any other bowler, including the incredible Jasprit Bumrah.
Given that Matt Henry regularly tore through opposition top orders as New Zealand proved a surprise and potent opponent, the seam attack was little harder to select than the top order.
Kane Williamson will captain the team while Bumrah is the player of the year.
Yashashvi Jaiswal Ind 15 Tests 1478 @ 54 Best 214* 100s 3
The second highest run scorer of the year, the brilliant young Indian is set to replace Virat Kohli as the pivotal figure in his team’s batting line-up. Given his technique and temperament have room for improvement, who knows how good he could become.
Ben Duckett Eng 17 Tests 1149 @ 37 Best 163 100s 2
Only averaged 37 for the year but a strike rate of 85 underlined his importance to England’s batting blitzkrieg.
Kane Williamson NZ 9 Tests 1013 @ 59 Best 156 100s 4
Started the year with twin hundreds against South Africa and finished with a brilliant century against England. Closing in on 9000 runs at No.3.
Joe Root Eng 17 Tests 1556 @ 55 Best 262 100s 6
Has thrived under Bazball as he continues to reinvent himself as one of the most versatile players of his era. About to join the 13,000 club and should have Tendulkar’s world record in his sights.
Harry Brook Eng 12 Tests 1100 @ 55 Best 317 100s 4
The epitome of England’s brazen approach. A maiden triple century this year to add to his collection of remarkable achievements.
Kumindu Mendis SL 9 Tests 1049 @ 74 Best 182* 100s 6
Played one Test two years ago but has been a revelation after returning to the Sri Lankan team this year. Five centuries, including four and an average of 123 in his team’s five victories, shone a bright light on his talent.
Jamie Smith Eng 9 Tests 637 @ 42 111 100s 1 31 ct 1 st
Has only been a Test cricketer for only six months but could end England’s revolving door that has seen them use seven glovemen in the past three years.
Gus Atkinson Eng 11 Tests 352 @ 23 Best 113 52 wickets @ 22 Best 7-45 5w 3
The exit of Stuart Broad and James Anderson has opened the way for a new generation of pacemen with Atkinson in the vanguard. Potent with the ball and more than handy with the bat. Only Terry Alderman (54 wickets in 1981) had a better debut year.
Matt Henry NZ 9 Tests 48 @ 18 Best 7-67 5w 3
Another player to shine following the departure of stalwarts. Played 21 Tests in 17 separate series over nearly a decade until shining as New Zealand’s key striker this year.
Keshav Maharaj SA 7 Tests 35 @ 19 Best 5-59 5w 2
A fine foil to a group of muscular pacemen. Claimed multiple wickets in every innings in which he bowled in 2024.
Jasprit Bumrah Ind 13 Tests 71 @ 14 Best 6-45 5w 5
A remarkable series in Australia with 30 wickets from the first four Tests was the high point of a year that brought 71 wickets. Fourteen bowlers have claimed more wickets in a year; no one has come close to matching Bumrah’s average (14.93) and strike rate (30.17).
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