India vs England 2016 Test Series: Combined XI Of Virat Kohli and Alastair Cook’s Men
Dec 21, 2016 at 3:14 PM
The India-England series finally concluded with the hosts thoroughly outplaying the visitors and winning the five-match series 4-0. While it was quite expected that Virat Kohli’s men would win the series, what will please the Indian skipper is the way his players contributed. Almost all of them at one stage or another contributed to the team’s cause that helped the hosts consolidate their position at the pinnacle of Test cricket.
On the other hand, England players were not too far behind their Indian counterparts in individual performances. The likes of Moeen Ali, Joe Root, Keaton Jennings gave some performances that deserve to come in a winning cause but unfortunately their efforts did not receive the backing of their teammates. But it does not take away anything from their brilliant performances.
So with the series all done and dusted, we at Sportzwiki pick up the combined XI of the recently-concluded series:
1. Murali Vijay:
One of the most consistent players of the Indian team in the last couple of years, the Tamil Nadu opener was the second-highest run getter as an opener in the series. He started the series with a century in Rajkot but his scores in the next four innings were 20,3, 12 and 0. But he roared back to form when his team needed him the most. The hosts were on the back foot in the fourth Test when the visitors piled up 400 runs in the first innings. India desperately needed a good show from their openers and Vijay duly obliged with a brilliant knock of 136 runs to set the platform for a win.
Batting Stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
5 | 8 | 357 | 136 | 44.62 | 2 | 0 |
Honourable mention: Alastair Cook
The English skipper had a decent series with the bat as he ended as the fifth highest run-getter in the series with 369 runs but the failure to convert the starts into big scores cost his team dearly.
2. Keaton Jennings:
The 24-year-old stole the show when he scored a ton on his Test debut in the Mumbai game. And although he failed to impress in the next two innings, he scored a dodgy fifty in the last innings at Chennai. His skipper Alastair Cook was a prime candidate to partner Vijay at the top after scoring 369 runs in the series but Jennings’ performance in these unfavourable conditions against the world No. 1 team tilts the scale in his favour.
Batting Stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
2 | 4 | 167 | 112 | 41.75 | 1 | 1 |
Honourable mention: Parthiv Patel:
The wicket-keeper-batsman was recalled to the Test team after eight years and he instantly made a mark with a match-winning fifty in the third Test at Mohali. He was asked to open the innings in the last Test too and once again justified the decision by scoring 71.
3. Joe Root:
The English batting star marginally pips Cheteshwar Pujara for the No. 3 position in this team due to his better stats. He scored 491 runs in the series compared to Pujara’s 401 and deserves to be in this XI.
Batting Stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
5 | 10 | 491 | 124 | 49.1 | 1 | 4 |
4. Virat Kohli (C):
Undoubtedly, the Indian skipper deserves to be on this list. The 28-year-old enjoyed a phenomenal series in which he scored more than 600 runs at an astonishing average of 109.16.
Moreover, his captaincy was equally impressive. On pitches which were anything but rank turners, the Delhi batsman managed his bowlers brilliantly as he led his team to a historic win.
Batting Stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
5 | 8 | 655 | 235 | 109.16 | 2 | 2 |
5. Karun Nair:
With two centuries and a fifty, Moeen Ali was a strong candidate for this position but Nair deserves a place in the team after his monumental knock of 303* in the last Test. His knock helped India register their highest score in Test cricket, 759 for 7.
Stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
3 | 3 | 320 | 303* | 160 | 1 | 0 |
Honourable mention: Moeen Ali
The English all-rounder was the second highest run-getter for his team with 381 runs including two centuries and a fifty.
6. Jonny Bairstow (wk):
The leading run-scorer of this year enjoyed a brilliant series where he piled up 350+ runs at an impressive average of 44. The right-handed batsman performed in almost all matches and will play the role the wicketkeeper-batsman in the team ahead of the impressive Parthiv Patel.
Stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
5 | 9 | 352 | 89 | 44 | 0 | 2 |
7. Ravichandran Ashwin:
Ravichandran Ashwin is fast becoming the all-rounder that every team in the world craves for. With 28 wickets, he ended as the leading wicket-taker in the series but more than his bowling, he made a mark with his consistent displays with the willow. The world No. 1 all-rounder scored 306 runs in the series and more importantly those runs came when the team badly needed them.
Batting stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
5 | 7 | 306 | 72 | 43.71 | 0 | 4 |
Bowling stats:
Matches | Innings | Wickets | BBI | BBM | 5- Wickets In Match | 10-Wickets in Match |
5 | 10 | 28 | 6/55 | 12/167 | 3 | 1 |
8. Ravindra Jadeja:
The left-arm spinner bowled a magical spell on the final day of the Chennai Test and took seven wickets as the hosts registered a miraculous win. Jadeja is fast becoming one of the best all-rounders in Test cricket and his performance in this series is a further prove of that.
Batting stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
5 | 7 | 224 | 90 | 37.33 | 0 | 2 |
Bowling stats:
Matches | Innings | Wickets | BBI | BBM | 5- Wickets In Match | 10-Wickets in Match |
5 | 10 | 26 | 7/48 | 10/154 | 1 | 1 |
9. Jayant Yadav:
Without a doubt, the Haryana all-rounder is the find of this series. He scored important runs lower down the order that helped his team take vital lead on more than one occasion and in bowling, he picked up wickets at crucial junctures.
Batting stats:
Matches | Innings | Runs | HS | Average | 100s | 50s |
3 | 4 | 221 | 104 | 73.66 | 1 | 1 |
Bowling stats:
Matches | Innings | Wickets | BBI | BBM | 5- Wickets In Match | 10-Wickets in Match |
3 | 6 | 9 | 3/30 | 4/68 | 0 | 0 |
10. Stuart Broad:
Arguably, the most impressive fast bowler for England, Broad bowled really well in the second Test at Vizag where he picked up four wickets to help his team dismiss India for only 204 in the second innings. However, he missed the next two Tests due to an injury but bowled well with the third new ball in Chennai.
Bowling stats:
Matches | Innings | Wickets | BBI | BBM | 5- Wickets In Match | 10-Wickets in Match |
3 | 5 | 9 | 4/33 | 5/82 | 1 | 0 |
11. Mohammed Shami:
The Indian fast-bowler was the standout pacer of the series. He bowled well in all situations as England batsman found it tough to deal with his pace and movement. He picked up 10 wickets in the first three matches but missed the remaining two due to an injury.
Bowling stats:
Matches | Innings | Wickets | BBI | BBM | 5- Wickets In Match | 10-Wickets in Match |
3 | 6 | 10 | 3/63 | 5/100 | 1 | 0 |