The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the Test team of the year 2024, which is full of power and patience in the batting and incredible balance in the bowling department. India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal and England’s Ben Duckett, two left-handed batters, have been slotted to open the batting.
The former had a staggering start to the year with 712 runs at home against the Ben Stokes-led side. He also thumped a brilliant 161-run knock in Perth in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25. Duckett played a pivotal role in their success in the format. He was the leading run-getter with 343 runs, including a fine 153 in Rajkot during their trip to India. With 1149 runs at 37.06, the ICC Test team’s opener was the third-highest run-scorer of the format in 2024.
Despite being out of the three-match series for New Zealand in India, their former captain, Kane Williamson, has showcased his class. He scored centuries in both innings against South Africa in Mount Maunganui to end the two-match series with 403 runs. Overall, the right-handed batter finished the year with 1013 runs at 59.58.
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There was hardly any doubt about seeing Joe Root at number in the ICC Test team. After his struggle in the first three Tests in India, he turned up with a gritty 122*-run knock in Rajkot. A total of 669 runs came in 10 innings off his blade in the home summer to get his name in the history book to become the highest Test run-getter for England, surpassing Sir Alastair Cook. He also has the sixth most centuries (35*) in the red-ball format.
Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah were rewarded with places in the ICC Men’s Test Team Of 2024
Harry Brook missed the five-match series in India due to personal reasons but made a cracking start with a 109-run knock against West Indies at Lord’s. The final two-away Test series for the youngster was the game-changer for him. In Pakistan, Brook registered a sensational triple century before collecting 350 runs in six innings in New Zealand to make it to the ICC Test team.
Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis had an unbelievable time with the bat in 2024 in the five-day format. The southpaw has the highest average of 94.30 in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 (minimum 10 innings), as he collected 1049 runs in 2024 to finish with an extra-ordinary average of 75, to be the fifth leading run-getter of the year in Tests.
England’s debutant wicket-keeper Jamie Smith has been given the responsibility of handling the gloves in the ICC Test team. His brilliant 95-run knock at Edgbaston impressed the world as they secured a 3-0 series win over the Kraigg Braithwaite-led side. He was involved in 32 dismissals besides adding 637 runs at 42.46.
India’s Ravindra Jadeja made an outstanding start in 2024. At his home ground in Rajkot, he cracked 100 runs and picked up seven wickets to play a key role in their victory. Against the Kiwis, he excelled with the ball to claim 16 wickets, including a ten-wicket haul at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Overall, the all-rounder drilled 527 runs at 29.27 and added 48 wickets at 24.29.
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Leader Pat Cummins has bagged 37 Test wickets in 2024 at 24.02. The notable performance for him was clinching the BGT for ten years as he made a significant contribution with the bat and ball. Jasprit Bumrah, the ICC Test team member, celebrated 32 scalps in BGT 2024-25 to finish as the leading wicket-taker and enjoyed 71 wickets overall at less than 15.
The last member of the side was New Zealand’s Matt Henry, who took 48 wickets at an exceptional average of 18.58. His contribution was immense for their history clean sweep in India by a 0-3 margin.
ICC Men’s Test Team Of The Year 2024
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ben Duckett, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Kamindu Mendis, Jamie Smith (wk.), Ravindra Jadeja, Pat Cummins (c), Matt Henry, Jasprit Bumrah.