Indian opener Rohit Sharma, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have been named in the ICC Men's Test team of 2021. New Zealand's Kane Williamson, who led the side to victory in the inaugural World Test Championship, is named the captain of the team.
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Rohit Sharma stood apart with his stellar performance in the Test series in England last year, where he remains the highest run-scorer so far (the fifth and final Test will be played later this year). The opener scored 906 runs in the calendar year at an average of 47.68 with two centuries; both of them coming against England (in Chennai and Oval).
Rishabh Pant, meanwhile, cemented his place in the side with consistent performances against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under. He scored 748 runs in 12 matches at an average of 39.36 with one memorable ton against England at Ahmedabad. He also registered 39 dismissals in 23 innings, with his glovework continuing to improve.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin ended 2021 as the highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game. He scalped up 54 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 16.64, making a big impact in the home series against England and New Zealand. He also chipped in with 355 runs at an average of 25.35, which included a vital century against England in Chennai.
{{/usCountry}}Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin ended 2021 as the highest wicket-taker in the longest format of the game. He scalped up 54 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 16.64, making a big impact in the home series against England and New Zealand. He also chipped in with 355 runs at an average of 25.35, which included a vital century against England in Chennai.
{{/usCountry}}Sri Lanka's Dimuth Karunaratne was named the other opener alongside Rohit, while Australia's Marnus Labushagne was named the no.3 batter. England captain Joe Root, Williamson and Pakistan's comeback-man Fawad Alam complete the no.4, 5 and 6 places respectively. Ashwin was named at 8 following Rishabh Pant, while New Zealand's Kyle Jamieson, and Pakistan duo of Shaheen Afridi and Hasan Ali completed the XI.
ICC Men's Test Team of 2021: Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Rohit Sharma (India), Kane Williamson (c, New Zealand), Marnus Labuschagne (Australia), Joe Root (England), Fawad Alam (Pakistan), Rishabh Pant (India), Ravichandran Ashwin (India), Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan), and Hasan Ali (Pakistan).