Alastair Cook to lead ICC Test team of the year 2016

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the ICC Test team of the year 2016. Former Indian captain Rahul Dravid, South Africa’s Gary Kirsten and Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara picked the side depending on the performances during the period from 14 September 2016 to 20 September 2016. England captain Alastair Cook leads the team which also has three players from the England Test team.

Australian opener David Warner who had been in smashing form right through the year is selected to open the batting along with Cook. For the all-important No.3 slot, they have picked New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. The biggest task would have been to pick the No.4 batsman with three superstar cricketers Joe Root, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith batting at the same position. Considering the voting period in mind Root made a cut ahead of the two.

At No.5 they have decided to go with Australia’s Adam Voges who had a Bradmaneque average for the first part of his Test career. England’s Jonny Bairstow who ended 2016 as the leading run scorer in Tests is the preferred wicketkeeper-batsman in the team. Arguably the best seam bowling allrounder in international cricket at the moment Ben Stokes joins Cook, Root and Bairstow in the Test team of the year.

Indian spin ace Ravichandran Ashwin who had been in a phenomenal form in 2016 shattering bowling records one after the other is the frontline spinner in the team along with Sri Lankan veteran Rangana Herath who troubled the Aussies big time in the home series to wash them off. Australian pace bowling spearhead Mitchell Starc and South Africa’s Dale Steyn are the two pacers who complete the bowling attack of ICC’s Test team.

Smith who had contributions with the bat and his captaincy has been picked as the 12th man in the team.

Twitterati wasn’t really happy with Virat Kohli’s name missing from the list but given the fact that he scored two of his double centuries after the voting period and played a couple of series against West Indies in July 2016 and at home vs South Africa saw other players edging ahead of him.

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 (Australi)

6. Jonny Bairstow (England)

7. Ben Stokes (England)

8. Ravichandran Ashwin (India)

9. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)

10. Mitchell Starc (Australia)

11. Dale Steyn (South Africa)

12th man. Steve Smith (Australia)

Here is how Twitter reacted to the Test team:

As Captain:

Most Test wins in 2016: V Kohli
Most Test loss in 2016: A Cook

But Cook is Captain for ICC Team of the year! ?

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) December 22, 2016

Oh its September 2015 to September 2016 so the home runs Voges got against Windies got added. Meh, still won't pick him in any World XI

— Sandeep Kadian (@GappistanRadio) December 22, 2016

from 14 Sept 2015 to 20 Sept 2016
Root 1271 runs @ 55.3
Cook 1269 @ 55.2
Bairstow 1246 @ 59.3
Kane 1194 @ 74.6
Voges 1087 @ 90.6 https://t.co/EYXLFN8VI7

— Jasveer Singh Kharra (@imjsk27) December 22, 2016

David Warner and Mitchell Starc – only players who have featured in both ICC's Test and ODI teams of the Year. #ICCAwards

— Bharath Seervi (@SeerviBharath) December 22, 2016

That time of the year when ICC picks their Fantasy XI and people outrage over it. #ICCAwards

— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) December 22, 2016

Dravid, Kirsten and Sangakkara selected the sides based on performances from September 14, 2015 to September 20, 2016. #ICCAwards https://t.co/ywbSalhA16

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) December 22, 2016

No one from Pakistan, who were number one couple of months ago, but then who would have come? Yasir? Well, he can't bat like Ashwin. https://t.co/gx1fK0ZvMm

— Mazher Arshad (@MazherArshad) December 22, 2016

@ICC #ICCAwards lol No Kohli, This Is Unfair

— AprilFoolsDay (@TheSehwagFC) December 22, 2016