Sportskeeda's Test XI of 2017

Pacers

Kagiso Rabada - 57 wickets at 20.28

Kagiso Rabada found success at home as well as in Tests in New Zealand and England

For Kagiso Rabada, 2017 started by trouncing Sri Lanka and concluded by routing Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. In a remarkable, young career so far, Rabada has taken giant strides particularly considering the continued absence of Dale Steyn. Pace, swing and accuracy brought him as many as 57 wickets in 11 games with three five-fors and one ten-wicket match-haul. Success in New Zealand and England added a feather to his cap, having already found glory at home in a career barely three years old. Figures of 6/55 at Cape Town, and 5/33 and 5/30 at Bloemfontein stood out alongside hauls of 4/122 and 4/91, among others, in away conditions.

James Anderson - 55 wickets at 17.58

Despite a body tiring and slowing down with age, James Anderson ruled all opponents he faced, including Australia in their own den. Before playing a Test in 2017, Anderson had 467 wickets, but at the end of the year, has 522 to show against his name. He swung the new ball brilliantly and reversed the old one well to bag four five-wicket hauls – one each against South Africa and Australia, and two versus West Indies. The first from his country to pass 500 Test wickets, Anderson ripped apart West Indies at Lord's with career-best figures of 7/42; under lights at Adelaide, he made the pink ball talk with 5/43. A measly average of 17.58 meant he enjoyed a stupendous 2017.