Virat Kohli features in all the three formats of ESPN’s teams of the year

As a part of the year-end tradition, ESPNCricinfo released its teams of the year. The Test team of the year 2016 features Pakistan’s new-found name of consistency at the top Azhar Ali along with a ray of hope for in Caribbean cricket Kraigg Brathwaite as openers. With names like Joe Root, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith in the middle order, the team has all the power and arsenal in their batting.

The wicket-keeping role was quite obviously bagged by England’s Jonny Bairstow who has not only been a prime positive behind the wickets but has got them runs at supreme consistency. He was the second highest run-getter in the year and only a few short of Root who sits at the top. Then there are the two allrounders – one seam bowling and another a master spinner – Ben Stokes and Ravichandran Ashwin got their teams runs and wickets on demand.

Rangana Herath might be inching towards the twilight of his career but the left-arm spinner is as lethal as it can be and he is the second spinner in the team. The two pacers are both young, make the ball talk and expressly quick – Mitchell Starc and Kagiso Rabada complete the XI and quite literally.

Test Team of the year:

Azhar Ali, Kraigg Brathwaite, Joe Root, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Ben Stokes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rangana Herath, Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada

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In the ODI team of the year, David Warner takes up the role with Quinton de Kock. Then they have the trio of Joe Root, Virat Koli and Steve Smith once again. The No.6 changes in the shorter formats it is still an English cricketer but Jos Buttler. Ben Stokes and Mitchell Starc keep their place in the 50 overs team as well. For the spin bowling option they have opted for Sunil Narine while Josh Hazlewood and Jasprit Bumrah are the other two fast bowlers.

ODI Team of the year:

David Warner, Quinton de Kock, Joe Root, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Mitchell Starc, Sunil Narine, Josh Hazlewood, Jasprit Bumrah

While chalking the T20 team of 2016 the selectors from their staff considered both T20I and domestic T20 performances and thus Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo feature in this team. David Warner is Gayle’s destructive opening partner. Virat Kohli appears in the third team as well and is the only player to feature in the team for all the three formats. Then there is AB de Villiers, Jos Buttler, Andre Russell, former Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi and another leg-spinner is young Adam Zampa who made the most of the year.

Bumrah and Mustafizur Rahman are the two fast bowlers in the team that has two seam bowling allrounders in Russell and Bravo.

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T20 Team of the year:

Chris Gayle, David Warner, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Jos Buttler, Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Shahid Afridi, Adam Zampa, Jasprit Bumrah, Mustafizur Rahman