Kohli named captain of ICC ODI Team of the Year
Internet Desk: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced its Test and ODI Teams of the Year. Former Test stalwarts Rahul Dravid, Gary Kirsten and Kumar Sangakkara selected the sides based on players’ performances in the period from 14 September 2015 to 20 September 2016.
England’s Alastair Cook has been named as captain of the ICC Test Team of the Year, which includes four Englishmen, three Australians, and a player each from New Zealand, India, Sri Lanka and South Africa.
However Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli failed to make the cut in the Test team of the year, despite leading his team to a 4-0 series win over England in the five-Test home series. He scored 655 runs in the five Tests, at a whopping average of 109.16 with a highest score of 235.
Kohli scored 1215 runs in 2016 from 12 Test (18 innings) at an average of 75.93, with four centuries and two half-centuries.
This is the third time Cook has been appointed captain of the Test side, while it is the eighth time in nine years that Dale Steyn has been selected into the ICC test team of the year. Joe Root, David Warner and Kane Williamson have been chosen for the third successive year as well.
ICC Test Team of the Year 2016 (in batting order) is:
1. David Warner (Australia)
2. Alastair Cook (England) (captain)
3. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
4. Joe Root (England)
5. Adam Voges (Australia)
6. Jonny Bairstow (England) (wicketkeeper)
7. Ben Stokes (England)
8. R. Ashwin (India)
9. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
10. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
11. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
12. Steve Smith (Australia)
In ODI’s it has been a case of third time lucky for Virat Kohli who has been named as captain of the ICC ODI Team of the Year, which includes three Australians, Indians, South Africans each, and one each from England and West Indies. De Villiers has been selected for the sixth time since 2010, while Starc has been picked up for the third time in four years.
Starc and his team-mate Warner are the only two players to have been selected in both the Test and ODI sides in 2016.
ICC ODI Team of the Year 2016 (in batting order) is:
1. David Warner (Australia)
2. Quinton de Kock (South Africa) (wicketkeeper)
3. Rohit Sharma (India)
4. Virat Kohli (India) (captain)
5. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
6. Jos Buttler (England)
7. Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
8. Ravindra Jadeja (India)
9. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
10. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
11. Sunil Narine (West Indies)
12. Imran Tahir (South Africa)
In other categories, Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has won the ICC Test cricketer of the year for his outstanding performance in Test cricket over the year. Proteas opener Quinton de Kock has bagged ODI cricketer of the year award for his exceptional performance for the South African ODI side. Left-arm fast bowler Mustafizur Rahman has won the ICC Emerging cricketer of the year trophy for his performance with the ball in the last season.
West Indian power-hitter Carlos Brathwaite wins the ICC T-20I Performance of the Year for his outstanding display in the World T-20 Final. South African umpire Marais Earsmus wins the best umpire award for his ineffable umpiring throughout the season.