The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the Test and ODI teams of the year. Anil Kumble headed panel consider players performance between September 18th, 2014 and September 13th, 2015.
This year cricket has seen the mega cricketing event World Cup. Among the many stellar performances, these two batsmen have been the most prolific and fascinating to watch. They entertained the fans with their display of stroke play. Kane Williamson featured in the Test team as No. 3 batsman while AB de Villiers has been chosen as captain of the ODI team.
AB de Villiers has registered the fastest hundred of ODI cricket at New Wanderers, Johannesburg while New Zealand Kane Williamson fascinated us with his classical batting.
South African captain AB de Villiers’ innings changed the course of the many matches on many occasions. So, Wisden in its list of cricketers with the most impact in the history of Test cricket kept AB de Villiers in the third position after Australia’s Donald Bradman and England’s Peter May.
De Villiers is famously called as Mr. 360 as the batsmen guarded with technique and athleticism can score runs playing the ball around the park. His lap shot, yoga shots invented a unique way to score run in ODI cricket.
He was the front-runner in South Africa’s ODI and T20 series victory in against India in Indian soil for the first time since 1991. He is the first South African captain to win a bilateral ODI series in India.
Captain AB de Villiers lost the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. But, that is only a disappointing loss in a rain-affected match.
Meanwhile, Kane Williamson has been the highest run scorer of the year. He has been in a run for ICC’s cricketer of the year award in ODI format. He performed in England, Australia and South Africa.
He is considered as one of the best No. 3s among the current players in ODI format. You can name Virat Kohli and Steve Smith. But, this 25-year-old batsman showed lots more consistency than Kohli and Steve Smith in the last two years at this crucial position. He played 25 innings and scored 1317 runs at an average of 57. 26. His batting is a display of maturity, temperament, and prolific strokeplay. So, far he hit 142 fours and 12sixes, the highest by any no. 3 batsman. He scored 3 centuries in the last two years and 8 half centuries. So, he is the perfect man for no. 3 position. Added to his batting, he sometimes rolls his hand.
Williamson also played 6 Test matches this year. He scored 904 runs with an average of 90.40. He scored two classic hundred against Australia at Brisbane and Perth. He scored total four hundred, his highest 242 came against Sri Lanka at Wellington. His average is the best among all batsmen.
Mr. 360’s ability to play the ball around the park makes him the best middle order batsman. His performance in the death over talks for himself. He scored 1193 ODI runs at an average of 79.53 in 18 innings. He has a different kind of strokes in his coffer beside the full range of strokes listed by MCC. He faced only 865 balls and hit 91fours and 58 sixes. The highlight of his batting against West Indies just before the World Cup at the New Wanderers, Johannesburg when de Villiers hit the fastest century, which also came at this position in international cricket. He scored two hundred and 7 fifty as well in this period. His 61 ball 119 against India at Wankhede is one of best captain’s knocks he played ever played in a tournament’s final.
AB de Villiers has been made as captain of the ICC annual ODI team.
However, his ODI form did not reflect in Test this year as he scored 85 in Bangalore Test that was washed away owing to series of a heavy shower. AB de Villiers is one of the rare batsmen who has fifty plus average in both Test and ODI format.
De Villiers will be in a run of ICC people’s choice award as he won the heart of fans around the world. But, Test form of Alastair Cook and Steve Smith, who also won the fifth World Cup for Australia will also be in a run of individual awards that will be announced later this month.