Test Combined Men's Test team of 2024

[Bletch]

A few of these floating around in the media. And whilst it's relatively meaningless, and it's not an even playing field with teams playing vastly different numbers of tests in vastly different conditions, it's still an interesting exercise.

The men’s Test cricket team of the year: from Atkinson to Jaiswal

Our special board of selectors announce the picks for the best men’s Test XI of the past 12 months

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/india-s-next-long-term-leader-bumrah-shines-brightest-in-best-test-team-of-2024-20241227-p5l0uz.html

For mine...
Openers. Jaiswal a clear standout, topped the run-scoring and averages (1478 @ 54). The second opener is not as clear cut. Duckett is next in total runs scored (1065), but at a mediocre 35 average. Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka is my choice, with 354 runs at 44, including a century and two 50s. Not a great year for openers!

Middle order. Four standouts make this a pretty straight-forward selection. PHKD Mendis (SL) 881 @ 73, with 4 tons; Kane Williamson (NZ) 1013 @ 59, also 4 tons; Joe Root 1556 @ 55, 6 tons and Harry Brook 1100 @ 55, 4 tons. No-one else averaging over 45 hit more than one century. Temba Bavuma had a marginally better average than Root and Brook, but weight of runs (and tons) gives the edge to the English pair. Perhaps Afghanis Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi could also be considered, both averaging over 70 for the year, but with limited exposure, I'm happy with the quartet above. Best of the Aussies - Cam Green averaged 50, but only 302 runs. Trav Head our highest run-scorer (608), but at an average of 40 is well down the pecking order.

Keeper. Mohammad Rizwan averaged 44 with the bat, ahead of Mendis, Smith and Carey, all about the same 38-39. However, Carey led the keeping stats - 46 dismissals. Rizwan less than half of that (22), with Smith on 32. Mendis lower than Rizwan. All considered, Carey gets the nod.

Fast Bowlers. 3 clear standouts again - Bumrah's astounding return of 71 wickets at 14, and Hazelwood's 35 @ 13 will lead the attack. NZ's Matt Henry's 48 @ 18 gets him the 3rd spot, ahead of Kagiso Rabada (34 @ 19) and Gus Atkinson (52 @ 22).

Spin Bowler. Keshav Maharaj (SA) has had an outstanding year with 25 wickets at 19. There are others who took more wickets - Jadeja 48 @ 24 and Ashwin 47 @ 27. Jayasuriya 48 @ 32 from just 9 matches, and leading the pack England's Shoaib Bashir, 49 wickets, but at a not-so-great average of 40.

All-Rounder. Not gonna pick one - none really outstanding. Jadeja will get the nod as 12th man. Cam Green worth a mention.

Team:
Jaiswal (Ind)
Nissanka (SL)
Williamson (NZ)
Root (Eng)
Mendis (SL)
Brook (Eng)
Carey (Aus)
Henry (NZ)
Maharaj (SA)
Bumrah (Ind)
Hazelwood (Aus)
Jadeja (12th) (Ind)

Squad: Green (Aus), Rabada (SA), Atkinson (Eng), Bavumah (SA), Rahmat Shah (Afg), Rizwan (Pak).

What's your team look like?

 

[PhatBoy]

A few of these floating around in the media. And whilst it's relatively meaningless, and it's not an even playing field with teams playing vastly different numbers of tests in vastly different conditions, it's still an interesting exercise.

The men’s Test cricket team of the year: from Atkinson to Jaiswal

Our special board of selectors announce the picks for the best men’s Test XI of the past 12 months

www.theguardian.com

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/india-s-next-long-term-leader-bumrah-shines-brightest-in-best-test-team-of-2024-20241227-p5l0uz.html

For mine...
Openers. Jaiswal a clear standout, topped the run-scoring and averages (1478 @ 54). The second opener is not as clear cut. Duckett is next in total runs scored (1065), but at a mediocre 35 average. Sri Lanka's Pathum Nissanka is my choice, with 354 runs at 44, including a century and two 50s. Not a great year for openers!

Middle order. Four standouts make this a pretty straight-forward selection. PHKD Mendis (SL) 881 @ 73, with 4 tons; Kane Williamson (NZ) 1013 @ 59, also 4 tons; Joe Root 1556 @ 55, 6 tons and Harry Brook 1100 @ 55, 4 tons. No-one else averaging over 45 hit more than one century. Temba Bavuma had a marginally better average than Root and Brook, but weight of runs (and tons) gives the edge to the English pair. Perhaps Afghanis Rahmat Shah and Hashmatullah Shahidi could also be considered, both averaging over 70 for the year, but with limited exposure, I'm happy with the quartet above. Best of the Aussies - Cam Green averaged 50, but only 302 runs. Trav Head our highest run-scorer (608), but at an average of 40 is well down the pecking order.

Keeper. Mohammad Rizwan averaged 44 with the bat, ahead of Mendis, Smith and Carey, all about the same 38-39. However, Carey led the keeping stats - 46 dismissals. Rizwan less than half of that (22), with Smith on 32. Mendis lower than Rizwan. All considered, Carey gets the nod.

Fast Bowlers. 3 clear standouts again - Bumrah's astounding return of 71 wickets at 14, and Hazelwood's 35 @ 13 will lead the attack. NZ's Matt Henry's 48 @ 18 gets him the 3rd spot, ahead of Kagiso Rabada (34 @ 19) and Gus Atkinson (52 @ 22).

Spin Bowler. Keshav Maharaj (SA) has had an outstanding year with 25 wickets at 19. There are others who took more wickets - Jadeja 48 @ 24 and Ashwin 47 @ 27. Jayasuriya 48 @ 32 from just 9 matches, and leading the pack England's Shoaib Bashir, 49 wickets, but at a not-so-great average of 40.

All-Rounder. Not gonna pick one - none really outstanding. Jadeja will get the nod as 12th man. Cam Green worth a mention.

Team:
Jaiswal (Ind)
Nissanka (SL)
Williamson (NZ)
Root (Eng)
Mendis (SL)
Brook (Eng)
Carey (Aus)
Henry (NZ)
Maharaj (SA)
Bumrah (Ind)
Hazelwood (Aus)
Jadeja (12th) (Ind)

Squad: Green (Aus), Rabada (SA), Atkinson (Eng), Bavumah (SA), Rahmat Shah (Afg), Rizwan (Pak).

What's your team look like?

Pretty fair.
I know I’m a big fanboy and I don’t think he deserves to be in over any of those guys but Rabada bowled well enough in his last 3 matches to have a stack more wickets. Like 12-13 at least. Is in lovely form at the moment. But agree with that attack. Hazlewood has been outstanding and thought his Perth performance was incredibly underrated

 

[Trojan90]

Can’t argue with that 11.
I’d probably consider Jansen (4 matches 22 wicks @ 17) over Henry. Comes down to quantity similar to Brook/Bavuma. I love Bavuma but hard to go against 4 centuries including a triple.

Again small sample but Washington Sundar would be considered as spinner.

Maybe Jansen/Washington would be your 12th man AR option.

 

[samFFC]

Not to be a needless Devil’s Advocate, but there is a fairly big discrepancy for many of the English bats at home and away.

Root still a definite

Duckett has done ok away from home, but total runs irrelevant when he has played 17(!) tests. Might be just in based on a lack of other options.

Brook has 1100 runs in 12 matches but with a 317 in there. Averages 55 for the year, 41.2 without that knock. And didn’t play in India in that series, which would likely have knocked his average down further.

 

[eth-dog]

My team:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. Ben Duckett
3. Kane Williamson
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Kamindu Mendis
7. Jamie Smith
8. Ravindra Jadeja
9. Gus Atkinson
10. Matt Henry
11. Jasprit Bumrah

Really easy to pick really. Disappointing that Ben Duckett was the second best opener this year tbh

 

[PhatBoy]

Not to be a needless Devil’s Advocate, but there is a fairly big discrepancy for many of the English bats at home and away.

Root still a definite

Duckett has done ok away from home, but total runs irrelevant when he has played 17(!) tests. Might be just in based on a lack of other options.

Brook has 1100 runs in 12 matches but with a 317 in there. Averages 55 for the year, 41.2 without that knock. And didn’t play in India in that series, which would likely have knocked his average down further.

Yes there is a big discrepancy - Brook for one averages about 70 away and 40 at home, lol. I don’t doubt he would have suffered had he played in India particularly for the purposes of this team itself and his average for the year. He also played arguably the innings of the year, away, though in NZ. Ultimately as a side note I think he will suffer for having not played that Indian series - he needs that experience in spinning conditions as shown in the final two tests in Pakistan.

 

[samFFC]

My team:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. Ben Duckett
3. Kane Williamson
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Kamindu Mendis
7. Jamie Smith
8. Ravindra Jadeja
9. Gus Atkinson
10. Matt Henry
11. Jasprit Bumrah

Really easy to pick really. Disappointing that Ben Duckett was the second best opener this year tbh

Way too many Poms.

Interesting that SA are first into WTC, and essentially no players in the best XI. Not saying any particular ones, just an observation of their balanced efforts.

 

[eth-dog]

Way too many Poms.

Interesting that SA are first into WTC, and essentially no players in the best XI. Not saying any particular ones, just an observation of their balanced efforts.

Who would you drop them? And for whom?

 

[Cmarsh]

OP isn't wrong about an uneven playing field.

This is the number of tests per nation in 2024.

 

[corbies]

Way too many Poms.

Interesting that SA are first into WTC, and essentially no players in the best XI. Not saying any particular ones, just an observation of their balanced efforts.

To emphasise their balanced effort, every member of their current top 7 made a century in 2024 but none made more than 2.

 

[El Doederino]

With the amount of poms in the 2024 XI’s being produced, you would think bazball had dominated cricket in 2024, not getting spanked by India and Pakistan.

That’s the problem with averages. You get 150 not out, then 3 ducks, you average 50 and it looks great on paper. Joe Root average around 70 in the Pakistan series but failed in all but his first innings while his team lost the series. But those numbers gets him in “selects himself” territory. Not saying he doesn’t get in, but if Aussies and SA’s are the two highest rated nations in 2024, then who contributed to that and where are they?

For us, it’s been pretty even contributions. Head is the stand out batter but Smith and Marnus have had their moments picking up the slack.

I would have Carey in again because he’s contributed to wins and Smiths big innings have come in easy win games. He failed against Pakistan in circumstances where Carey has put on scores to salvage an innings. Plus Carey is a better keeper.

Bowling, Hazelwood is our stand out but Cummins and Starc are interchangeable on who has a good day and who plays a support role.

 

[PhatBoy]

With the amount of poms in the 2024 XI’s being produced, you would think bazball had dominated cricket in 2024, not getting spanked by India and Pakistan.

That’s the problem with averages. You get 150 not out, then 3 ducks, you average 50 and it looks great on paper. Joe Root average around 70 in the Pakistan series but failed in all but his first innings while his team lost the series. But those numbers gets him in “selects himself” territory. Not saying he doesn’t get in, but if Aussies and SA’s are the two highest rated nations in 2024, then who contributed to that and where are they?

For us, it’s been pretty even contributions. Head is the stand out batter but Smith and Marnus have had their moments picking up the slack.

I would have Carey in again because he’s contributed to wins and Smiths big innings have come in easy win games. He failed against Pakistan in circumstances where Carey has put on scores to salvage an innings. Plus Carey is a better keeper.

Bowling, Hazelwood is our stand out but Cummins and Starc are interchangeable on who has a good day and who plays a support role.

That’s the point of a team of the year though the whole point of it is putting in guys who continually pop up every 2-3 matches with one extraordinary performance.

It’s rare that someone will make it to that sort of team for striding to the crease and making a very acceptable but rarely game-defining 50 exactly every single time they bat, is it.

 

[samFFC]

Who would you drop them? And for whom?

Covered by earlier posts and the OP

Hazy or Rabada over Atkinson
Rizwan or Carey keeper
At least

 

[Art Vandelay_]

My team:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. Ben Duckett
3. Kane Williamson
4. Joe Root
5. Harry Brook
6. Kamindu Mendis
7. Jamie Smith
8. Ravindra Jadeja
9. Gus Atkinson
10. Matt Henry
11. Jasprit Bumrah

Really easy to pick really. Disappointing that Ben Duckett was the second best opener this year tbh

Duckett really is the only truly iffy selection. A few others are somewhat debatable to players who missed out, but an opener averaging 35.5 in the world TOTY is a weak inclusion. But staggeringly no one else stands out as being better.

My team would be

Jaiswal
Duckett (by default)
Williamson
Root
Brook
Mendis
Rizwan +
Jadeja
Bumrah (C)
Henry
Hazlewood

Out: Ravindra, Smith
In: Rizwan, Williamson

Jaiswal, Root, Brook and Mendis among batsmen are no brainers. Dumped Ravindra for Williamson moving Root to 4 because all bar 1 innings for Root were at no.4. Among No.3 bats Williamson went at 60. Ravindra at 4 was in the low 40s. Rizwan has had a better year than Smith imo.

As for the bowlers all 4 are easily arguable. Hazlewood has less wickets than Atkinson or Cummins but his 35 are @ 13. Elite stuff. Bumrah with 70+ is a lock as is Jadeja with his runs and 2nd most wickets for spinners. Henry with 4 less wickets than Atkinson is counteracted by getting them at 18 per wicket.

 

[eth-dog]

Covered by earlier posts and the OP

Hazy or Rabada over Atkinson
Rizwan or Carey keeper
At least

Rizwan vs Smith is a fair debate. Smith inarguably had a better year than Carey. In the same amount of games and innings' he had 197 more runs, 1 more hundred, 1 more fifty and averaged 9 more with the bat, without boosting that with any not outs.

Haze maybe. Rabada no.

 

[Bletch]

Rizwan vs Smith is a fair debate. Smith inarguably had a better year than Carey. In the same amount of games and innings' he had 197 more runs, 1 more hundred, 1 more fifty and averaged 9 more with the bat, without boosting that with any not outs.

Haze maybe. Rabada no.

Went back and had a look at this again. Not sure what I was looking at in the OP, must have fouled up my stats query. But yes, Smith has had a significantly better year with the bat than Carey. Agree it would come down to Rizwan v Smith, though Carey clearly had the better year from a keeping perspective. One other for consideration is Tucker from Ireland. The Irish only played 2 tests for the year, but he's averaged 43 and has the best Dismissals per Innings of any of any of them (even better than Carey who is streets ahead of Smith and Rizwan). It's hard to include a guy with such limited exposure, but the inequity of the international draw would effectively exclude players from the "minnow" nations otherwise.

 

[eth-dog]

Went back and had a look at this again. Not sure what I was looking at in the OP, must have fouled up my stats query. But yes, Smith has had a significantly better year with the bat than Carey. Agree it would come down to Rizwan v Smith, though Carey clearly had the better year from a keeping perspective. One other for consideration is Tucker from Ireland. The Irish only played 2 tests for the year, but he's averaged 43 and has the best Dismissals per Innings of any of any of them (even better than Carey who is streets ahead of Smith and Rizwan). It's hard to include a guy with such limited exposure, but the inequity of the international draw would effectively exclude players from the "minnow" nations otherwise.

Actually, yeah, screw it , Lorcan it is!