ICC has picked the Test Team of the Year for 2023. Pat Cummins was named captain while Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were overlooked in the WTC XI.
Australia dominated the World Test Championship playing XI :-
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was overlooked by the jury for the Test XI announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday i.e. 23 January. Leading the way in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2023, Australia dominated the World Test Championship (WTC) playing XI with several nominations.
Pat Cummins was appointed ICC Test Team of the Year leader :-
Pat Cummins was appointed the ICC Test Team of the Year leader, which starred as many as five Australian players. Cummins guided the Baggy Greens to their first-ever WTC crown before the star pacer masterminded Australia’s record-extending sixth World Cup crown in the 50-over format.
Captaining the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year, Cummins was also nominated for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year. Under the leadership of Cummins, Australia retained the Ashes last year. The premier fast bowler also ruled the bowling charts with 42 wickets in 11 games.
Usman Khawaja was picked as the opener :-
Cummins’ teammate Usman Khawaja was picked as the opener in the ICC World Test Championship XI. Khawaja was named in Test XI for the second year running and the Aussie opener is also gunning for the Test Cricketer of the Year award.
Khawaja scored more than 1000 runs (1210) in Tests last year. Premier batter Travis Head also had a remarkable year across all formats. Head smashed 163 in the WTC final against India. Australia’s Alex Carey and veteran pacer Mitchell Starc also headlined the WTC XI for 2023.
Kohli and Rohit failed to feature in the WTC Playing XI :-
Averaging above 45, Kohli smashed 932 runs in 17 games of the WTC last season. Indian skipper Rohit amassed 758 runs in 11 games, and the veteran opener guided India to the final of the WTC against Australia.
However, batting icons Kohli and Rohit failed to feature in the star-studded WTC XI for 2023. Veteran all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were the only two Indians who made the cut in the Test team of the year.
ICC Test Team of the Year 2023 :-
Usman Khawaja, Dimuth Karunaratne, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Travis Head, Ravindra Jadeja; Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (C), R Ashwin, Mitchell Starc, Stuart Broad.
