3 Indians & 1 Australian in ICC Men's Test Team of the Year 2024

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the much-awaited Test Team of the Year for 2024 on Friday, January 24. Despite Team India's sub-par Test season, three players made their way onto the all-star 11.

India's latest young sensation Yashasvi Jaiswal was picked as the opener along with England's Ben Duckett. Jaiswal was the second leading run-scorer in Tests in 2024 with 1,478 runs at an average of almost 55, including three centuries and nine fifties in 15 outings.

Meanwhile, Duckett was right behind him at No.3 with 1,149 runs at an average of 37.06 and two centuries in 17 matches. There was little to debate when it came to No.3 to 6 in the batting order, with Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Kamindu Mendis taking their rightful places.

Williamson was at his fluent best in the red-ball format in 2024 with 1,013 runs in nine matches at an average of 59.58. Root continued breaking records for fun as he amassed the most Test runs in 2024 with 1,556 at an average of 55.57 and a remarkable six centuries.

His English teammate Brook was not far behind with 1,100 runs at an average of 55, including a triple century in Pakistan. Sri Lanka's Kamindu Mendis was slotted at No.6, thanks to his astonishing 2024 Test numbers with 1,049 runs at an average of almost 75, including five centuries in nine matches.

England's rookie Jamie Smith was picked as the wicketkeeper for the ICC Test XI, scoring 637 runs at an average of 42.46 in 8 games.

India's Ravindra Jadeja was the lone specialist spinner in the lineup, thanks to his 48 wickets at an average of 24.29 and 527 runs at a batting average of 29.27 in 12 outings.

Aussie skipper Pat Cummins came in next, having picked up 37 wickets in nine Tests at an average of 24.02, while also scoring valuable runs in the lower order. Cummins also led Australia to a second successive World Test Championship (WTC) final, resulting in him also being named the captain of the ICC Test XI.

New Zealand's Matt Henry and India's Jasprit Bumrah complete the playing XI, thanks to their impressive bowling performances throughout the year. Henry was the fourth leading wicket-taker with 48 scalps at an average of 18.58 in 9 matches.

Meanwhile, Bumrah led all bowlers with an incredible 71 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 14.92, including five five-wicket hauls.

ICC Men's Test Team of the Year for 2024:

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ben Duckett, Kane Williamson, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Kamindu Mendis, Jamie Smith (w), Ravindra Jadeja, Pat Cummins (c), Matt Henry, and Jasprit Bumrah.

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Jasprit Bumrah the lone bowler in the nominees for ICC Test Cricketer of the Year 2024

Bumrah enjoyed a Test season for the ages in 2024 [Credit: Getty]

The ICC recently announced the four nominees for the Test Cricketer of the Year 2024. The list was dominated by batters as Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Kamindu Mendis were pitted against the lone bowler in Jasprit Bumrah for the prestigious award.

Root made rapid strides in the all-time scoring charts in Tests this year, climbing to No.5 with 12,972 runs in 152 matches.

Meanwhile, his teammate Brook and Sri Lanka's Mendis have been hailed as two of the potential batting stars of the next generation. On the other hand, Bumrah terrorized opponents across conditions in 2024, culminating with a brilliant 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, where picked up 32 wickets at a stunning average of 13.06.

Surprisingly, neither of the four players will feature in the WTC final to be held in June between South Africa and Australia.