Disappointing XI of 2018

Middle order:

Faf du Plessis (South Africa)

Faf Du Plessis

The skipper of the South African cricket team, Faf du Plessis, has been their key player in all formats of the game. Even though he has good numbers in the limited-overs format, the 34-year-old failed to deliver in test cricket.

He began the year on a positive note when he smashed a couple of fifties against India. But since then, he never impressed with the bat barring his century against Australia. He scored 463 runs from 20 innings at an average of 24.37.

Faf du Plessis' Test stats in 2018:

Matches - 10, Runs - 463, Average - 24.37, High score - 120

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Hashim Amla (South Africa)

Hashim Amla

The veteran South African cricketer, Hashim Amla, did not have the best of times in 2018 as he failed to score runs for his country in all formats of the game. He did not hit a single hundred in international cricket last year.

He scored 510 and 315 runs from 20 Test innings and 11 ODI innings respectively with an average of 26.84 in Tests and 28.64 in ODIs last year.

Hashim Amla's Test stats in 2018:

Matches - 10, Runs - 510, Average - 26.84, High score - 82

Hashim Amla's ODI stats in 2018:

Matches - 11, Runs - 315, Average - 26.84, High score - 71

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MS Dhoni (India)

MS Dhoni

The former Indian skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has been poor with the bat, especially in the ODIs. He ended the year without scoring a single fifty in One Day Internationals. Dhoni has been struggling to hit the poor deliveries even after having a splendid IPL season.

He scored runs at a strike-rate of about 71 which clearly indicates that the former Indian skipper lost his hitting skills. He ended the year with 275 runs from 13 innings at an average of 25.

MS Dhoni's ODI stats in 2018:

Matches - 20, Runs - 275, Average - 25, High score - 42*