In a massive honour, Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was named as the captain of the ‘Test XI of 2024’ made by cricket.com.au, which also includes one more Indian star. Bumrah, who has led India in two Test matches, secured his first victory as Test captain during the Perth Test, the first of the five Border-Gavaskar Trophy matches. In the match, the pacer led the team from the front with an eight-wicket haul and an all-round Team India crushed Australia by 295 runs to secure a famous win just after a series whitewash loss to New Zealand at home by 0-3, their first Test series loss in 12 years.
Here is cricket.com.au’s Test XI of 2024:
-Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
In 2024, Jaiswal scored 1,478 runs in 15 matches at an average of 54.74, with three centuries (two double tons) and 11 fifties in 29 innings, with the best score of 214. His two double centuries against England in the home series earlier this year, which saw him score 712 runs in five matches was a huge standout. However, his adaptation to Australian conditions is just as stunning, having scored 359 runs in eight innings at an average of 51.50, with a masterclass 161 at Perth and fighting knocks of 82 and 84 at Melbourne being standouts.
Jaiswal’s run tally is the highest by an Indian opener during a calendar year and his 36 sixes during this year is also a world record, having beaten legends Virender Sehwag and Brendon McCullum in these aspects respectively, as per cricket.com.au.
What a year from this XI including Jasprit Bumrah who leads the side
Full story: https://t.co/zM0nfiRxz9 pic.twitter.com/cn8Zu7zlxw
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 31, 2024
-Ben Duckett (England)
The England opener, who takes pride in taking a chance to score at every ball, once again delivered consistent numbers in Tests, with his knock of 153 against India at Rajkot as a huge statement about his greatness in tackling subcontinent conditions. He is England’s highest run-getter this year and overall third. with 1,149 runs at an average of 37.06 and a strike rate of 87.04. He has scored two centuries and six fifties in 32 innings, with best score of 153. His high strike rate makes him the poster boy of England’s ‘Bazball’ school of cricket.
-Joe Root (England)
Largely a one-format player nowadays, Root was in monstrous form in Tests this year, leading the run-charts with 1,556 runs at an average of 55.57 and a strike rate of over 63 in 17 matches, with six tons and five fifties in 31 innings and best score of 262.
Root broke two massive Test records this year, becoming England’s highest century-maker (36) and Test run-getter (12,972 runs), going past legendary Alastair Cook and touching the 20,000 run mark in international cricket, being the first England player to do so.
Also, he is chasing Sachin Tendulkar’s record of highest Test runs (15,921) and is the fifth-highest run-getter this year.
-Rachin Ravindra (New Zealand)
The Kiwi all-rounder had a brilliant run in Tests this year, scoring 984 runs in 12 matches at an average of 42.78, with two centuries and four fifties in 24 innings and best score of 240. The youngster played a crucial role in the Kiwis’ first-ever series win against India, scoring an aggressive 134 in the first Test and a crucial 65-run knock in Pune. He had kickstarted the year with a fiery 240 against South Africa.
-Harry Brook
England’s next-generation superstar continues to impress, adding plenty to his away exploits. In 12 Tests this year, he made 1,100 runs at an average of 55.00, with four centuries and three fifties in 20 innings, with best score of 317, which came against Pakistan in Multan. Also, he continued his brilliant run in New Zealand with two stunning centuries and getting the ‘Player of the Series’ award. In 11 Tests away from home, Brook averages 80.00 and has scored seven of his eight Test tons.
-Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
The Sri Lankan all-rounder went on a Bradman-like run in Tests, with 1,049 runs in nine matches and 16 innings at an average of 74.92, with five centuries and three fifties. His best score was 182*. He reached 1,000 runs in Tests within 13 innings, same as Aussie legend Don Bradman, becoming the second-fastest to reach this landmark. He also made fifty-plus scores each in eight of his first Tests, becoming the first player to do so.
-Alex Carey (Australia)
The Aussie wicketkeeper-batter was in top form across all formats in international cricket and domestic. In nine Tests, he made 46 dismissals, including 42 catches and four stumpings and also scored 440 runs at an average of 33.84, with three half-centuries in 15 innings. His best score was 98*. During the Christchurch Test against New Zealand, Carey took 10 dismissals, a career-high and played a match-winning knock of 98* during a run chase of 279 runs.
-Matt Henry
The Kiwi pacer was a workhorse this year for his side, taking 48 scalps in nine Tests at an average of 18.58, with four five-wicket hauls and best figures of 7/67 in an innings. He was his side’s leading Test wicket-taker and overall fourth. His standout spell was 5/15 against India at Bengaluru to skittle them out for just 46, setting the tone for a landmark series win. His best figures of 7/67 came against the Aussies, though in a losing cause.
-Jasprit Bumrah (captain)
The Indian pace spearhead enjoyed one of the greatest calendar years by a bowler, with 71 scalps in 13 matches at an average of 14.92, with five five-wicket hauls and best figures of 6/45, delivering fantastic spells home and away alike. During the England series at home, he took 19 wickets in four Tests on spin-friendly conditions to win the series for India and also has taken 30 wickets in the ongoing BGT in Australia in four matches at an average of 12.83, with three-five-wicket hauls, emerging as a lone warrior for India.
-Josh Hazlewood (Australia)
A fine year for one-fourth of the great Aussie quartet (of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon) despite fitness issues as he took 35 scalps in 15 matches at an average of 13.60, with best figures of 5/31, two five-wicket hauls to his name. Also, his average of below 14 is the best by an Australia in a calendar year since World War 2.
-Keshav Maharaj (South Africa)
If Proteas have made it to their first-ever World Test Championship final, Maharaj is one of the key reasons as the spinner took 35 wickets in 15 games at an average of 19.20, best figures of 5/59 and two five-wicket hauls. Though he did not bowl a single over during the Newlands Test against India to start the year, he went on to play a crucial role in series wins over West Indies, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
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