Cricket in 2018- The best Test captain of the year

Test cricket is, generally, regarded as the most intense and skillful form of cricket which tests the players’ physical and mental fitness, endurance, stamina, skills, technique and above all knowledge of the game. Undoubtedly, Test cricket has come a long way from where it started years ago and is doing a great job surviving year after year in the era where the fan base is most inclined towards T20.

It was often argued that with the emergence of T20 leagues the longest format of the game will lose its significance and players will show little interest in participating in it. However, many great players, over the years, have left no stone unturned in promoting this brand of cricket due to which Test cricket is still breathing.

The year 2018 has been another significant year for the longest form of the game, which witnessed some great Test matches and some fiercely-fought series. Many games witnessed session-wise fluctuations in the situation of the match which tested the temperament and character of the leader of both the teams. The added pressure of the game along with individual performance pressure can lead to a downfall of any Test skipper with average leadership skills.

Williamson- A responsible leader and a tough character

So, to excel as a commander of a team in the five-day format, especially in the age of T20 leagues and jam-packed schedules, captains have a tedious task at hand which is to motivate themselves and the troops to perform to their potential. In 2018, many captains did a great job in taking this legacy forward and showcased exemplary leadership skills which were hailed by cricketing greats.

Of all the great leaders, Kane Williamson, captain of the New Zealand cricket team, stood out of the rest when it comes to leading a side in Test cricket and for this only reason he deserves to be crowned as “Test Captain of the Year 2018” for his victories over some of the best Test sides in modern history.

Kiwis, as a team, was never considered as a quality Test side ever because of the kind of players that are tailor-made for limited-overs cricket but Williamson broke this belief when he took over as captain in 2016. Hailed as one of the four modern greats, the 28-year-old inspired his troops, instilled a belief in them and built a team which has only one moto- fight until the very end.

It is noteworthy to mention here that New Zealand’s team in every format is almost similar, which means they have players who can play according to the format and match situation. No other team fields the same eleven (almost) in all three formats of the game which means Williamson built a strong Test team based on the player’s performance in limited-overs cricket.

New Zealand’s record in numbers

Apart from winning a  Test series against Windies 2-0 in December 2017, the Williamson-led side has beaten a formidable English side 1-0 and Pakistan 2-1 in Tests in 2018. The highlight of the Kiwi team’s performance in 2018 was beating Pakistan in UAE, which is considered a green’s fortress when nobody expected them to achieve this feat. Pakistan, in sub-continent conditions, is a very strong team to beat and by thumping them 2-1 in Test series was something which definitely made Williamson and his team proud.

In the last one year or so, Kiwis are yet to concede a series. So far, in 2018, Kiwis have played a total of 6 games,  winning 3 of those and losing 1 while 2 of the matches ended in a draw. Their win/loss ratio for 2018 is 1.5 which is commendable. Obviously, it was tough to rate him above Joe Root in Tests this year as his team played very limited matches but Kiwis’ win over Pakistan in UAE stole the limelight from English captain and put the Kiwi skipper ahead.

Williamson’s rich vein of form is an added advantage

Also, apart from leading the team to heroics, the Kiwi great also had an exceptional year with the bat, scoring 601 runs at a staggering average of 66.77, better than that of Virat’s 56.36 and Root’s 41.21 which is another reason why he was chosen over his English counterpart for the prestigious honour.  The right-handed batsman also surpassed Ross Taylor for most centuries in Test cricket for New Zealand with 19 centuries to his name.

Since the time he was bestowed with captaincy responsibilities in 2016, Kiwis have come a long way. His win/loss ratio, 2.2, is the best in the history of New Zealand cricket. No other skipper has the win/loss ratio greater than 1.6. In his reign, the Black Caps have won 52.38% of the matches they have played in the longest format, which is again, commendable, to say the least, by any standards.

The Kiwis have totally stood out as a team in 2018 and have duly been rewarded for the hard work. Kane has managed to inject confidence into the team. The credit for this change in fortunes has to be given to the classy right-handed batsman. He has instilled a belief in the team that they can be exceptional in the longest format and this belief will take the team a long way forward. The team is slated to be one of the best in the times to come.

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