Best Test XI of 2019

The clock is steadily ticking on the year 2019. And, what a year it was for Test cricket lovers. Who can forget India’s historic win on Australia soil at the start of the year of Sri Lanka and Kusal Perera’s epic heist when the island nation turned the tables on the South Africans in their own den.

The Ashes 2019, Ben Stokes’ epic heist, Jack Leach’s stonewalling 1 not-out at Leeds, and, several new stars who proceeded to unleash their precocious talent on the world stage- the year 2019 had it all. And, so what better than to relive all the vital moments of the year by compiling them into a side.

Here’s the Best Test XI of 2019:

1. Mayank Agarwal

If the tale-end of 2018 saw Mayank Agarwal announce himself on the world stage with his whirlwind half-century on debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the entirety of the year 2019 saw the evolution of the Karnataka batsman into a top-quality Test match opener.

Agarwal started the year with yet another half-century at the Sydney Cricket Ground where he looked in complete control against the likes of Nathan Lyon, and while he endured a lean series in the Caribbean [80 runs in 2 Tests at 20.00], the right-hander united with Rohit Sharma in the second half of the year as his fellow opening partners and churned out 340 runs at an average of 85.00 against the Proteas before emerging as the leading run-scorer [257 runs at 128.50] against Bangladesh.

Best innings: 243 off 330 balls vs Bangladesh in Indore

On a lively attack with the ball hopping around, Agarwal gave a great account of himself as a Test match opener when he successfully negotiated the tricky period before cashing on big time with his ‘Sehwagesque’ strokeplay to hammer the Bangladeshi bowlers to the tune of 243 off 330 balls. 

One of the defining moments of that knock was of Virat Kohli urging Agarwal to convert his hundred into a daddy inning and the latter duly obliging to his captain’s wishes.