Why did Virat Kohli miss out on making it to the ICC Test team of the year?

Days after Team India won the five-Test series against England 4-0 in which skipper Virat Kohli was the Man of the Series for scoring 655 runs his name was missing from the ICC Test team of the year 2016. The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the Test team of the year but while fans were hoping he would lead the team Virat they were surprised to not find him in the squad.

Legends like Rahul Dravid, Gary Kirsten and Kumar Sangakkara were appointed as selectors by the ICC. And the reason why Kohli missed out had a lot to do with the period of assessment. The ICC specifically mentioned that performances for the period 14 September 2015 to 20 September 2016 were considered while selecting the team and determining winners for the other awards.

In the qualification period, Virat only scored 451 runs having played 8 Test matches and 10 innings. The 28-year-old who has scored three triple centuries in the year 2016 had just one hundred and a half century during that time. He had average outings against South Africa in November 2015 and though the team won the series quite comprehensively he had little contribution to make. Later in July 2016 Team India travelled to the West Indies for a three-Test series he scored a double century, his first in the first inning but the next best scored was 44 followed by a couple of single digit scores.

Virat’s performance during qualification period:

His overall performance in 2016:

Alastair Cook was picked as the captain of the team ahead of Kohli and even Steve Smith of Australia. While it was England No.4 Joe Root who took his place in the ICC Test team of the year. Cook played 14 matches and scored 1269 runs at an average of 55.17.

Alastair Cook’s batting record from Sep 14, 2015 to Sep 20, 2016:

As far as Cook’s captaincy is concerned England played 14 Tests and won 6, lost 5, on the other hand, Team India played 8, won 5 while 3 matches ended in a draw, they didn’t lose a single game, in fact, Virat Kohli’s men ended the year 2016 unbeaten after 18 matches.

The No.4 in ICC’s team of the year Joe Root featured in 14 matches and scored 1272 runs at an average of 55.3 and definitely did enough to make it to the team.

Joe Root’s batting record from Sep 14, 2015 to Sep 20, 2016:

ICC Test team of the year:

David Warner (Australia), Alastair Cook (C) (England), Kane Williamson (New Zealand), Joe Root (England), Adam Voges (Australia), Jonny Bairstow (WK) (England), Ben Stokes (England), Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Steve Smith (Australia, 12th man) .