Sportskeeda's Test All-rounders of the Year 2015 - counting down from No. 5 to No. 1

There is a popular conception that modern cricket has stopped producing quality all-rounders. But looking back at the statistics for this year suggests that quite a few cricketers have had a great year, having scored important runs and picked up lots of wickets.Let us look at the top 5 Test all-rounders of the year 2015. Most of the cricketers here have quite a few years of cricket left in them, which is a good sign for the sport. Some very surprising names make it to this list:

#5 Shakib Al Hasan

It is astounding to see that whenever any list for the best all-rounders is drawn up, Shakib al Hasan becomes an automatic choice. He has also made it to the top of our list in the ODI all-rounders of the year. It is Shakib's tremendous contribution to the game that has helped Bangladesh do so well in the recent past.

He has scored 294 runs from 5 Tests at an average of 58.80 this year and has 7 wickets to go with it. Shakib has consistently been scoring runs and picking up crucial wickets -- he has come to be recognised as an indispensable cog in the wheel for Bangladesh.

He also happens to be one of the most loved and iconic cricketers that Bangladesh has produced. Bangladeshi fans will certainly hope that he has a lot left to contribute before he decides to call it a day.

#4 Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes announced himself on the big stage with his crucial counter-attacking 92 off 94 balls against New Zealand at Lord's this year. He stitched together a crucial partnership with Joe Root and resurrected England's innings after they were left tottering at 30 for 4.

He followed it up with the fastest ever Test century at Lord's in the second innings and helped England to a 124-run victory. He has been no less effective with the ball -- against Australia at Trent Bridge, he breathed fire coming away with figures of 6 for 36.

Stokes has scored 714 runs from 14 Tests at an average of 29.75 this year and has bagged 23 wickets. There is much jubilation and optimism about Stokes in English cricketing circles at the moment and he has already elicited comparisons with the likes of Botham and Flintoff.

#3 Moeen Ali

Ever since his rise, Moeen Ali has given a new dimension to the England cricket team. His dynamism and consistency in a way epitomizes the free and fearless cricket played by a young England team.

Because of his contributions, the much loved bearded boy from Birmingham has also made it to our list of ODI all-rounders of the year. He has scored 547 runs from 13 Tests at an average of 24.86 this year. He has been in superb form with the ball as well, having picked up 32 wickets at a bowling average of 45.50.

He also has an ODI batting average of 25.06 and has picked up 23 wickets this year. This has certainly been a good year for Moeen Ali. He has become a crucial member of the England team and the fans will be hoping that he can go from strength to strength next year.

#2 Stuart Broad

This has been a brilliant year for Stuart Broad. His memorable spell of 8 for 15 made sure that Australia folded up for 60 at Trent Bridge during the Ashes series this summer. In a column for the Daily Mail, Broad admitted that a few cricket fans have called his Trent Bridge performance the best in the last 50 years of cricket.

His performance at Trent Bridge equalled the fastest five wicket haul in Tests (19 deliveries) and helped Broad go past 300 wickets. It was Broad's fine performances that played a defining role in England so comprehensively winning the Ashes this summer.

Broad has been just as effective with the bat scoring 353 runs from 14 Tests at an average of 20.76. And with the ball, he has been breathing fire, having bagged 53 wickets in Tests, including two 5-wicket hauls, this year. England will hope that Broad can maintain this consistency in 2016.

#1 Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin is in the form of his life. Much of India's success in 2015 and the two famous Test series wins against Sri Lanka and South Africa is due to Ashwin's consistency. At times this year, Ashwin has looked unplayable as he had repeatedly run through the opposition batting order.

In an interview to Cricbuzz this year, Ashwin said, "This is definitely the best I have bowled in my career. I don't compete with anybody but myself. At the present moment, I am at the top of my game."

Ashwin has been in tremendous form, picking up 62 wickets in Tests with 7 five-wicket hauls this year. He has scored 248 Test runs at an average of 20.66 this year to go with it and is a reliable lower order batsman who does not fail to contribute more often than not.

For his incredible statistics in Tests this year, Ravichandran Ashwin is our Test all-rounder of the year.