New Delhi: Indian opener Rohit Sharma, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin have been named in the ICC Men’s Test team of 2021. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, who led the side to victory in the inaugural World Test Championship, is named the captain of the team. Williamson, New Zealand had defeated India last year to win the World Test Championship. Apart from 3 Indians, the side has 2 New Zealand players, 3 Pakistan players, 1 Australian, 1 Sri Lankan, and 1 player from England.
Rohit Sharma came as an opener in the longest format of the game. He cracked 906 runs in the calendar year at an average of 47.68 with two centuries. With key assignments coming up, Sharma will have a key role to play for India in 2022. Rishabh Pant further established himself as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in all 3 formats, with his continuous development especially coming to the fore in the Test arena. He scored 748 runs in 12 matches at an average of 39.36 with one memorable ton against England at Ahmedabad. He also accounted for 39 dismissals in 23 innings, with his glovework continuing to improve.
The off-spinner Ashwin bamboozled many batters with his sheer wizardry. Ashwin scalped up 54 wickets in 9 matches at an average of 16.64 making a big impact in the home series against England and New Zealand. He also chipped in with 355 runs at an average of 25.35, which included a vital century against England in Chennai. IC Men’s Test Team of 2021: Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Rohit Sharma (India), Kane Williamson (c, New Zealand), Marnus Labuschagne (Australia), Joe Root (England), Fawad Alam (Pakistan), Rishabh Pant (India), Ravichandran Ashwin (India). Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand), Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan), and Hasan Ali (Pakistan).