The International Cricket Council announced the winners of 2016 ICC awards in which India’s R Ashwin won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year and the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year. South Africa’s Quinton de Kock was given the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year. Along with the awards, ICC also named two different teams of the year, one for Tests and one for ODIs.
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The fans around the world had several confusions over the choices of the ICC panellists, Rahul Dravid, Kumar Sangakkara and Gary Kirsten. The period that was taken into consideration for the 2016 ICC awards was from 14 September 2015 to 20 September 2016.
But, when we consider the year 2016 (January 1, 2016, to December 23, 2016), there are a lot of players who have stamped their authorities against the opposition on a consistent basis. David Warner ended the year as the leading run scorer while his teammate Adam Zampa topped the wicket-taking charts.
With the ODIs in 2016 almost over, let us take a look at the Team of the Year in this format.
David Warner
David Warner is an automatic choice for Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year after having a dream year with the bat in the limited-overs format. The Australian opener performed consistently throughout the year and ended up scoring 1388 runs in the year, the most by any batsman in ODIs.
2016 saw a rejuvenated David Warner as the New South Wales lad scored runs in each and every series he played. Coming into this year, he had four centuries since his ODI debut in 2009 and in the last 12 months alone, he notched up 7 ODI centuries, second most by any batsman in a calendar year after Sachin Tendulkar’s 9 ODI tons in 1998.
Unlike Sachin, who took 34 innings to score these 9 centuries in 1998, Warner scored all his runs in just 23 innings at an average of 63.09 and a strike-rate of 105.47. Warner also silenced all the criticisms of him failing to make it big after scoring a century by scoring a 156 and 173 against New Zealand and South Africa respectively.
With the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy just months away, Steve Smith will expect this pocket dynamo to fire and help the Aussies regain the trophy from India.
Quinton de Kock
If one man who can take over the legacy of dominating the bowlers in this format from Virat Kohli, then it has to be this youngster from South Africa. Ever since making his ODI debut, Quinton de Kock has earned the reputation of being one of the best ODI batsmen.
He continued his consistent show in 2016 as he ended the year with 857 runs in just 17 innings at nearly 58 runs per innings and striking at a rate of 109 per 100 balls. He scored three centuries alongside three fifties this year and was rightly awarded the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year in the 2016 ICC awards.
His 178 off 113 against the Aussies at Centurion is the highest individual score by a batsman in ODIs in 2016. With age on his side, he can only get better and might end his career as one of the greatest of the game.
Joe Root
England’s Joe Root might have missed out on getting the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year, but the right-handed batsman deservedly takes his place in Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year.
It was a fantastic year for England in the limited-overs format as Eoin Morgan’s men pose a significant threat to other teams ahead of the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy in England. Root is one of the vital cogs in England’s wheel in ODIs and he lived up to the expectations in 2016.
In the 14 innings he played, Root accumulated 796 runs at an average of 61.23 and had scored 2 centuries and 6 fifties. If Root continues to play in the same manner, he will easily become England’s best batsman ever in this format.
Virat Kohli
Team changes, format changes, jersey colour changes, but the one thing that remained the same in 2016 is Virat Kohli dominating the bowlers and scoring runs for fun. In simple words, one can boldly say that 2016 is the year of India’s Test skipper.
Unlike other players in Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year, Kohli has played just 10 ODIs in 2016 and has scored his 739 runs at an average of 92.37 at a strike-rate of exactly run-a-ball.
What made him stand out from other batsmen this year is Kohli has managed to cross the 50-run mark seven times in 10 innings including 3 hundreds. With these performances, he has already got one hand on the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for ICC Team of the Year for 2017.
Steve Smith (C)
How often have people compared Virat Kohli, Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Steve Smith as the Fab Four of this generation? These players too live up to the expectations everytime they step on the field. With Root and Kohli making it to the Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year, yet another member of the quartet joins the other two.
Australian skipper Steve Smith was on a rampage with the bat in the shorter version of the game in 2016. With 1154 runs in 25 innings, Smith ended up in the second place after his teammate David Warner in the list of leading run-scorers in 2016. He scored these runs at an average of 50.17 and had 10 fifty-plus scores in the last 12 months.
In spite of being one of the better batsmen in this format, his captaincy is something that may not be as impressive as his batting. In spite of that, Smith is named the captain of Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year.
Jos Buttler (WK)
Jos Buttler is the second Englishman after Joe Root to get featured in Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year. Buttler is someone who is wanted each and every captain as he ticks all the boxes that one needs to possess to be successful in this format of the game.
Buttler is capable of turning the game on its head in a matter of few balls. He has done it for his side several times in the past and in 2016, the world saw a more matured version of Buttler, who can play according to the situation rather than just coming out and start hitting the balls out of the park.
Buttler scored 573 in 13 innings at an average of over 57 and scored at a rate of 130 runs per 100 balls, something that is needed to win matches in the modern era. Going into the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy at home, Buttler’s form will decide the fate for Eoin Morgan’s side in the tournament. Buttler will don the gloves in Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year.
Mitchell Marsh
The Aussie fans might not like Mitch Marsh as he was very inconsistent with the bat in the last one year. But, the younger Marsh is someone who suits the bill to be the all-rounder in Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year.
Marsh averages just below 43 in 21 innings in which he has managed to score 642 runs at a strike-rate of 97. According to the fans, he might be inconsistent with the bat, but the numbers suggest that he is getting sticks for something which he doesn’t deserve to.
Whenever he gets his eye in, he is capable of sending the balls way over the boundary lines and in the last one year, he came into bat at a time when the team management expects him to go after the bowling right from the word go. With the ball in his hands, Marsh picked up 21 wickets at an average of 40 and an economy of 5.64.
Adil Rashid
Adil Rashid’s 2016 came to a drastic end as he was smashed all over the park by Karun Nair and KL Rahul in the fifth Test between India and England at Chennai. But 2016 will be a memorable year for the England spinner as he finished the year as the third best in the list of leading wicket-takers in 2016.
Rashid is only behind his fellow leggie from Austalia, Adam Zampa and John Hastings in the list. The Yorkshire-lad ended the year with 29 wickets from 17 innings at an average of 29 and economy of 5.19, something that is superb given the conditions under which he bowled his overs.
He consistently troubled the batsmen with his variations with the ball. He is a valuable addition to the team as he is also capable of scoring few crucial runs towards the end of an innings.
Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc has been in roaring form ever since making a return from the ankle injury he sustained last year. Since then, there is no turning back for the left-arm pacer as he picked 26 wickets in just 13 matches at an amazing average of 19.69. His economy of 4.49 stands out for someone who bowls in the field restriction overs and at the death.
Starc also broke Saqlain Mushtaq’s record for becoming the fastest to reach 100 ODI wickets. His ability to bowl perfect Yorkers without much fuss will keep the batsmen on their toes while facing him. Starc is a great addition to any limited-overs side in the world and it is no different with Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year.
Imran Tahir
It’s not very often one can see two leg-spinners in a playing XI. Sportskeeda’s ODI XI of the Year is one such team that has two leggies. Alongside Adil Rashid, South Africa’s leg-spinner Imran Tahir will take care of the spin department.
Tahir is someone who possesses a significant threat to the batsmen on a consistent basis. In 2016, he continued what he does the best, troubling the batsmen and has scalped 27 wickets in 14 innings at an average of 25. His economy of 5.2 is excellent for a spinner in the modern day game. His variations are tough to pick and that is the reason why he holds the upper hand against the batsmen in a matter of few balls.
Jasprit Bumrah
Picking Jasprit Bumrah in the Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year might be a controversial choice given that the Indian pacer has played just 8 matches in the last 12 months. But, in the very limited number of matches he has played, Bumrah ended up taking 17 wickets at an excellent average of 14.64, the best for any pacer with at least 10 wickets.
His economy of 3.63 puts him as the best among the rest. Bumrah has given Indian skipper MS Dhoni an answer to his death bowling woes as he is known to bowl toe-crushing yorkers at will and his variations will keep the batsmen guessing. Starc and Bumrah bowling in tandem will be a nightmare for any batsman irrespective of his reputation.
Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year:
Sportskeeda’s ODI Team of the Year has as many as four Australians, three Englishmen and two each from India and South Africa. In spite of having a poor captaincy record, Steve Smith will still be the captain of the team due to lack of options.
Australia’s John Hastings, who finished the year with 29 wickets in 15 matches at an average of less than 25 is named as the 12th man.
David Warner (Australia)
Quinton de Kock (South Africa)
Joe Root (England)
Virat Kohli (India)
Steve Smith (captain, Australia)
Jos Buttler (wicket-keeper, England)
Mitchell Marsh (Australia)
Adil Rashid (England)
Mitchell Starc (Australia)
Imran Tahir (South Africa)
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
12th man: John Hastings (Australia)
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