Ben Stokes named captain in 2022 Men’s ICC Test team of the year

While the trio of Suryakumar Yadav, Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya featured in the ICC Men’s T20I team of the year, 25-year-old Rishabh Pant is the only Indian representative in the ICC Men’s Test team of the year. Ben Stokes, who has had a terrific time as the captain of the English Test team has been named as the captain of the team. 

Usman Khawaja finds his place as the opener, with 1080 runs in the season at an average of 67.50, with twin centuries in Australia’s massive series win over Pakistan. Kraigg Brathwaite is named as the other opener in the team of the year, with the Windies skipper amassing 687 runs in just 14 innings, averaging a high 62.45. 

World’s No.1 Test batter, Marnus Labuschagne finds his place in this setup at No.3, with match-winning displays against West Indies and England at home. Babar Azam, who has totally thrown the record charts out of the town finds a place as the No.4, with 1184 runs in the year, including the 196 against Australia in Karachi, where Pakistan were in a whole lot of bother.

Jonny Bairstow, who has taken the cricketing world by storm in the longest format with successive scores of 136, 162, 71*, 106 and 114* in a phase where England had great success in Test cricket. Ben Stokes is the captain of the setup, and the all-rounder has impressive numbers with 870 runs and 26 wickets, including captaining the English team to greater heights in the longest format. 

Rishabh Pant is only the Indian batter on the list, and the left-hander been one of the major catalysts for India’s success in the longest format. The left-hander has smacked 680 runs, including two centuries, one against South Africa and England. 

Pat Cummins, Kagiso Rabada, Nathan Lyon and James Anderson form the bowling quartet, with the Australian picking up 36 wickets in the year averaging a paltry 21.83. Rabada, on the other hand, has picked up 47 wickets averaging 22.25. Lyon has picked up 47 wickets, and becomes the only spinner in this line-up. 

The 40-year-old Anderson, who continues to rule the roost, with 36 wickets, averaging 19.8, and was also at his best during the three-match Test series in Pakistan, where England were dominant.