Sportskeeda's ODI XI of 2017

#3 All-rounder and Wicket-keeper

Ben Stokes' presence lends enormous balance to the playing eleven

When he eventually looks back at 2017, the infamous street brawl in Bristol will inevitably pop into Ben Stokes' mind. While the scuffle prevented him from participating in the Ashes showdown in Australia towards the end of the calendar year, the all-rounder went from strength to strength prior to the incident.

From 15 ODIs, Stokes smashed 616 runs at a rapid strike-rate of 106.94 with two sublime centuries. As evidenced by 14 scalps at an economy-rate of 6.48, his exploits with the ball were slightly underwhelming. However, his consistently high-octane performances in the batting department has seen the 26-year old pip the likes of Hardik Pandya and Jason Holder for the all-rounder's slot.

On its face value, MS Dhoni's numbers in 2017 make for commendable reading. The veteran scored 788 runs from 29 matches at an average of 60.61 and strike-rate of 84.73 including a century after more than three years. But his waning reflexes often made him a sluggish starter and hence attracted intense scrutiny surrounding his role in the Indian team.

While he may not have lived up to his high standards in the calendar year, the seasoned campaigner continues to be one of the stand-out wicket-keeper batsmen in the modern game. Aside from putting in steady contributions with the bat, his undiminished skills behind the stumps helped him snare 26 catches and effect 13 stumpings.