Stats: Test XI of 2017

Test cricket can never go out of fashion. Nothing beats the feeling of watching a good match of Test cricket between two competitive teams battling for supremacy.

In 2017, 43 Test matches have been played, with 37 of them ending with a decisive result. With teams pushing for results rather than playing to draw matches, Test cricket is keeping its drama, and with more and more day/night pink ball test matches being played, Test cricket too is changing to adapt to the modern day cricket fan's expectations.

In the 43 Test matches that have been played so far in 2017, few players and few performances have stood out. Batsmen have scored big hundreds and bowlers have bowled unforgettable spells.

What if the top performers with the bat and ball in Test matches played this year so far, played together in one team? How good would that team be?

To answer just that question that has been playing in my mind for a long time, I have compiled a test team comprising of the top performers of 2017, not by rankings, but by their statistics in the current year.

Dean Elgar

This left-hander from South Africa has had a dream run this year. He is the second highest run scorer so far this year, scoring 1,097 runs in 20 innings at an average of 54.85, including 4 half-centuries and 5 centuries.His highest score this year came against Bangladesh at Potchefstroom on the 28th of September, where he scored 199, unfortunate to miss out on his maiden double hundred by just 1 run.

Elgar has played a few fabulous knocks for the Proteas at the top of the order. With his left-handed elegance, Elgar is one of the top openers of 2017.

Elgar's 2017 test numbers

Dean Elgar will open the batting for my side.

Quinton de Kock

The 24-year-old gloveman from South Africa has made an impression in Test cricket this year. Though de Kock has opened the batting only on a couple of occasions for South Africa, he has scored 50 plus on both occasions and has a good average of 66. I would personally like him to open the innings more often for his team.

In 2017, de Kock has scored 595 runs in 18 innings, at an average of 37.8, including a century and 4 half-centuries. His highest score this year came against Sri Lanka at Cape Town on the 2nd of January, where he scored 101.

Paired alongside teammate Elgar, I feel de Kock would be a good choice to open the batting for South Africa, as well as my Test XI.

de Kock's batting numbers in tests in 2017

De Kock has the most number of dismissals by a wicket-keeper in 2017 so far. His 50 dismissals include 45 catches and 5 stumpings, at an average of 2.5 dismissals every innings.

de Kock's wicket-keeping record in 2017 tests

De Kock will open the batting alongside Elgar, and keep wickets.

Cheteshwar Pujara

Pujara is the highest run scorer in test matches in 2017 so far. The right-hander has been compared to Rahul Dravid for his consistency and dogged approach. He has strung many long partnerships with the likes of Virat Kohli, Murali Vijay, and Shikhar Dhawan to put India in dominant positions in Test matches.

Pujara has great numbers to show in 2017. He has scored 1,140 runs in 18 innings at an average of 67.05, including 4 centuries and 5 half-centuries. His highest score this year of 202 came against Australia at Ranchi on the 16th of March. Pujara has 3 double-centuries to his name so far.

Pujara's numbers in tests in 2017

Pujara will bat at number 3 for my side.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has had an excellent year, again. He is the third highest run-getter in tests in 2017 so far. Scoring 1,059 runs in his 16 innings for India at a staggering average of 75.64, Kohli has made 5 centuries and a half-century.

Kohli has considerably improved his conversion rates and his appetite for big hundreds this year. His highest score this year came against Sri Lanka at his home ground at Delhi on the 2nd of December. This was Kohli's career best, and also his 6th double-century of his career so far, 3rd this year.

Kohli has also ably led team India to the top of the ICC test rankings and proved his mettle as captain.

Kohli's test record in 2017

Kohli will bat at number 4 and lead my side.

Steven Smith

Smith has excellent numbers to show for Australia this year. Scoring 888 runs in his 17 innings for Australia at an average of 59.2, Smith has scored 4 centuries and a couple of half-centuries this year. His highest score this year came against India at Ranchi on the 16th of March, where he played a captain's knock of an unbeaten 178.

Starting his career as a leg-spinner, Smith has now become one of the best test batsmen in the world. His unorthodox, but effective batting style and dominance on the leg side have given bowlers a hard time, and his fans, a good one.

Smith's test record in 2017

Smith will bat at number 5 on my side.

Shakib Al Hasan

Shakib al Hasan

One of the best all-rounders of this year, Shakib Al Hasan has made a few good contributions with bat and ball for Bangladesh.

Al Hasan has scored 665 runs in his 14 innings for Bangladesh at an average of 47.5. He has 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries to his name in 2017. His highest score this year came against New Zealand at Wellington on the 12th of January, where he scored 217. This is also Hasan's career-best score and his only double-century so far.

Al Hasan's test batting record in 2017

Al Hasan has picked up 29 wickets in his 14 innings for Bangladesh, at an average of 33.37, an economy of 3.18, and a strike rate of 62.8.

Al Hasan's test bowling record in 2017

Shakib Al Hasan will be the team's all-rounder, and he will bat at number 6.

Ravichandran Ashwin

The off-spinner has been a major contributor to India's Test wins this year. Partnering well with left arm off-spinner Ravindra Jadeja, Ashwin has spun webs around oppositions, providing crucial breakthroughs for India.

Ashwin is the second highest wicket-taker of 2017 so far, picking up 56 wickets in his 21 innings for India. He has an average of 27.85, an economy of 2.78 and a strike rate of 59.3.

Ashwin can also be very handy with the bat. The 31-year-old Indian has 4 Test centuries to his name.

Ashwin's bowling numbers in tests in 2017

Ashwin comes in at number 7 on the team.

Morne Morkel

The 33-year-old South African has very good bowling numbers in 2017. He has picked up 34 wickets in his 14 innings, at an average of 25.44, an economy of 3.17 and a strike rate of 48.0. His best figures in an innings this year came against England at Manchester on the 4th of August, where he picked up 4 wickets, giving away 41 runs.

Paired with the likes of Kagiso Rabada and Vernon Philander, Morkel's pace never fails to rattle batsmen and shatter stumps.

Morkel's test bowling figures in 2017

Morkel comes in at number 8 on the team.

Nathan Lyon

Nathan Lyon is the leading wicket-taker of 2017 so far. He has picked up 57 wickets from his 17 innings for Australia, at an average of 22.10, an economy of 2.68 and a strike rate of 49.4.

There have been 5 innings where Lyon has picked up 5 or more wickets. His best figures for an innings in 2017 came against India at Bangalore on the 4th of March, where he picked up 8 wickets, giving away just 50 runs. His best figures for a match in 2017 are 13 wickets for 154 runs.

Lyon's test figures for 2017

Lyon is number 9 on the team.

Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is the third highest wicket-taker of 2017 so far. The 22-year-old South African pacer has picked up 54 wickets from his 18 innings, at an average of 20.96, an economy of 3.26 and a strike rate of 38.5.

There have been 3 innings where he has picked up 5 or more wickets. His best figures for an innings in 2017 came against Sri Lanka at Cape Town on the 2nd of January, where he picked up 6 wickets, giving away just 55 runs. His best figures for a match in 2017 are 10 wickets for 63 runs.

Rabada's test figures in 2017

Rabada is number 10 on the team.

James Anderson

This bowling machine from England has had an excellent 2017 so far. The 35-year-old English pacer has picked up 47 wickets from his 18 innings, at an average of 15.82, an economy of 2.25 and a strike rate of 42.0.

There have been 4 innings where he has picked up 5 or more wickets. His best figures for an innings in 2017 came against the West Indies at Lord's on the 7th of September, where he picked up 7 wickets, giving away just 42 runs. His best figures for a match in 2017 are 9 wickets for 73 runs.