The stubborn Covid-19 took a massive toll on the sporting world. International fixtures were either cancelled or rescheduled. But somehow 2021 turned out to be a happening year for the longest format of the game. For the first time, fans across the globe witnessed New Zealand getting crowed as the world champions of Test cricket. Meanwhile, Team India scripted history by defeating Australia in Brisbane to capture the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the second time and dominated England in their own backyard. These were a few examples to explain how the purest form of the game prevailed amid the testing times.
And as we bid adieu to another tough year, here’s Cricketnext’s Test team of the year. There were several impressive talents who proved their mettle on the field. So, let’s try out and constitute a formidable playing XI.
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Rohit Sharma: The HITMAN had a terrific year for Team India in whites. He may have been ruled out of the South Africa tour, that’s indeed a blow to the team, but prior to that he had great time with the bat. 11 games, 906 runs and an average of 47.68 – the numbers show themselves why he was promoted as the new vice-captain of the team. He was the highest scorer for India during the England Tests. He amassed 368 runs in four games at a staggering average of 52.57.
Dimuth Karunaratne: The Sri Lankan opener was one of the top performers in the Lankan team this year. He played 7 games in 2021, scoring 902 runs at an average of 69.38. He scored four centuries that put him in third place in the list of highest run-getters in Test cricket in 2021. He enjoyed a great time playing against the West Indies at home, scoring 278 runs in two games and averaged 55.16.
Joe Root: At no. 3, England captain Joe Root finds his spot. The right-hand batter has been the top scorer in Test cricket this year. A couple of double-centuries in Asia and a total of six centuries so far in 2021 makes him one of the crucial cogs in this line-up. Root has played 14 games so far in 2021 and scored 1630 runs, averaging 62.69. He is top on the list and is 724 runs ahead of the second player on the list, Rohit Sharma.
Marnus Labuschagne: He has been Australia’s superstar in the longest format of the game. He has played just 4 Tests this year but his consistency with the bat has been absolutely impressive. He has scored 474 runs, at an average of close to 80 this year. Recently, he not only became the fifth-fastest batsman to reach 2000 runs in the format but also attained No.1 position in the ICC Test batters’ rankings.
Abid Ali: Pakistan’s Abid Ali finds the no. 5 spot in this line-up. He has been the consistent former for his team in Test cricket this year and the only Pakistani player among the top-five highest scorer in the longest format of the game. He had a terrific run during the overseas tour of Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, scoring 263 and 275 runs in both series, respectively. He is a dependable player who can be of great worth in the upper middle-order.
Rishabh Pant: 2021 also witnessed the emergence of Rishabh Pant in Test cricket. He began the calendar year by playing a match-winning innings in Brisbane to help India script history. And then against England, he notched his first Test century at home. He was pretty decent in the tour of England as well. Overall, he has established himself as a trustworthy gloveman who can not only have acrobatic skills behind the wickets but also has some remarkable shots in his dictionary to leave the bowlers stunned. Remember his scoop against Jimmy Anderson in Ahmedabad?
Ravindra Jadeja: Calling him a 3-dimensional player won’t be wrong because he serves his team in the same way. While fielding when he is around, a batter hardly takes the risk of stealing runs. With the ball in hand, he is well-versed in breaking crucial partnerships. And last but not the least, he has the ability to bat as long as his team wants him to. He may have picked lesser wickets this year and remained out of action due to injuries but whatever game time he got, he never failed to impress his fans. He batted in 12 innings this year and scored 269 runs, including two fifties.
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Ravichandran Ashwin: When it comes to Test cricket, how could you afford to miss out on someone like Ravichandran Ashwin. The highest wicket-taker of 2021, Ashwin had a great run in this calendar year. He not only threatened the batters around the globe but also scored a remarkable hundred in front of his home crowd earlier this year. Adding another feather to his cap, he surpassed the long-standing record of Harbhajan Singh to become the third-highest wicket-taker for India in Test cricket. 8 matches, 32 wickets and a bowling average of 16.23; here’s how you can figure out why Ashwin deserves to be in this team of the year.
Shaheen Shah Afridi: The 21-year-old had a dream run in international cricket this year. After Ashwin, Afridi is the second-highest wicket-taker in the longest format in 2021. Against West Indies, he picked 18 wickets in just 2 matches – the most by any bowler in the series. He scalped 7 wickets in 2 Tests against South Africa and 10 from 2 games in Zimbabwe. He has managed 44 wickets in 9 matches, averaging 17.45.
Hasan Ali: The next Pakistani on the list is Hasan Ali who excelled with the ball in the Zimbabwe tour. He scalped 14 wickets in 2 Tests, including 2 five-wicket hauls. He continued the momentum against South Africa at home, picking up 12 wickets in just two Tests. He starred against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh, taking his overall tally of wickets to 39 in 8 matches this year.
James Anderson: The only pacer among top-three wicket-takers of all time in Test cricket, James Anderson would definitely be the leader of the bowling unit. Anderson, who surpassed Anil Kumble during India Tests at home, has picked up 35 wickets this year including a couple of five-wicket hauls. He has tied with teammate Ollie Robinson in terms of the number of wickets taken, but with the kind of experience he has, Jimmy becomes an automatic selection to complete the team of the year.
Captain of the team: We would name Rohit Sharma as the skipper of this side, given his leadership skills and the tactical brain he has. Joe Root could be one of the contenders for the post but the way he has led his team this year and the job he is doing in the ongoing Ashes series hasn’t been that promising. Instead, he can be the deputy to Rohit in this playing XI.
Cricketnext’s Test Team of the Year: Rohit Sharma (C), Dimuth Karunaratne, Joe Root, Marnus Labuschagne, Abid Ali, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Hasan Ali, James Anderson.
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