NEWS
Follow UsAs many as five Australia players were included in the ICC Test team of the year, with Pat Cummins named captain after a stellar 2023, that saw him lead his side to a WTC title and also retaining the Ashes.
Opening batter Usman Khawaja was named in the team for the second year in a row after finishing with 1,210 runs at 52.60, which included six tons and as many as six fifties. The other Australians in the side include Travis Head, wicketkeeper Alex Carey and Mitchell Starc.
Interestingly, Nathan Lyon, who finished as the leading wicket-taker in 2023 was overlooked, and instead Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have found a place in the XI - the only two players from India. With 41 wickets at 17.02, Ashwin finished as the third-highest wicket-taker last year, while Jadeja pouched 33 wickets at 19.39 from seven Tests.
Among other notable inclusions are Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne, who scored over 600 runs in 10 innings, which include two tons and three fifties, and Stuart Broad, who retired from international cricket after the Ashes, finishing the year with 28 wickets at 26.28.
Head, who was also named in the ODI team of the year, features in this XI as well after hitting over 900 runs, including a counter-attacking 163 against India in the WTC final at The Oval. His countryman Starc blew hot and cold in 2023, but finished with 38 wickets at 29.63.
There's also place for the ever-dependable Joe Root and Kane Williamson - both of whom are in contention to be the Test player of the year.
ICC Test team of the year 2023: Usman Khawaja (Aus), Dimuth Karunaratne (SL), Kane Williamson (NZ), Joe Root (Eng), Travis Head (Aus), Ravindra Jadeja (Ind), Alex Carey (wk, Aus), Pat Cummins (c, Aus), R Ashwin (Ind), Mitchell Starc (Aus), Stuart Broad (Eng)
