The Best of the Best in the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024
The ICC Team of the Year honors 11 exceptional players who delivered remarkable performances in Test cricket throughout 2024. Let’s take a look at the players who earned their spots with their outstanding contributions to the game.
ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2024
Yashasvi Jaiswal (India)
Yashasvi Jaiswal emerged as one of the top Test openers in 2024, cementing his place in India’s batting lineup. After a challenging series in South Africa, he made a remarkable comeback in the home series against England, scoring 712 runs, including two double centuries and three fifties, a testament to his dominance.
Jaiswal continued his excellent form with three half-centuries in four innings as India triumphed over Bangladesh at home. He was also one of the few highlights in India’s disappointing series against New Zealand, where India suffered a historic whitewash on home soil.
In the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Jaiswal showed his class with a brilliant 161 in the second innings at Perth, bouncing back from a duck in the first innings. He finished as India’s top scorer in the series, accumulating 391 runs.
By the end of the year, Jaiswal had scored 1,478 runs at an impressive average of 54.74, second only to England’s Joe Root.
Ben Duckett (England)
Ben Duckett played a key role in England’s Test success in 2024. His aggressive opening partnerships with Zak Crawley laid the foundation for massive England totals.
Duckett started the year with an impressive tour of India, scoring 343 runs, including a stunning 153 in Rajkot. He carried his form into the home series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka, amassing 178 and 186 runs, respectively.
During England’s tour of Pakistan, Duckett contributed 262 runs in five innings, including a brilliant century in Multan. He continued his fine run on the New Zealand tour, scoring 180 runs.
In total, Duckett scored 1,149 runs in 2024 at an average of 37.06, finishing as the third-highest run-scorer of the year, behind Joe Root and Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
Despite battling injuries, Kane Williamson continued to showcase why he’s one of the finest Test batters in 2024. He began the year spectacularly, scoring centuries in both innings against South Africa in Mount Maunganui and adding another in Hamilton to finish the series with 403 runs from just four innings.
Williamson struggled during Australia’s tour of New Zealand, scoring only 77 runs in four innings, but he bounced back on the Sri Lanka tour with 138 runs in four innings, followed by a stellar home series against England, where he scored 395 runs across six innings, including a match-winning 156 in his final innings of the year.
Overall, Williamson scored 1,013 runs at an average of 59.58, making him the sixth-highest run-scorer of 2024.
Joe Root (England)
Joe Root continued to dominate the longest format of the game in 2024, solidifying his place as the top Test batsman of the year.
Root began the year with a rough start against India but found his form with a gutsy 122* followed by an 84 in the final two Tests. He was in sublime form during the home series against the West Indies, scoring 291 runs, including a century and two fifties. His performances were even more historic during the Sri Lanka series, where he amassed a staggering 375 runs in six innings, including centuries in both innings at Lord’s, surpassing Alastair Cook’s record for most Test centuries by an English player.
Root carried his form into the Pakistan tour, where he shared a record-breaking partnership with Harry Brook, scoring 262 runs. He rounded off the year with 218 runs against New Zealand, including a fifty and a century.
Root finished 2024 with 1,556 runs at an average of 55.57, now ranking fifth on the all-time list for Test runs.
Harry Brook (England)
In 2024, Harry Brook emerged as one of England’s most exciting young stars. After missing the India tour, he made an immediate impact during the home series against the West Indies, scoring a brilliant 109. He followed up with solid runs against Sri Lanka and hit his stride during the final two series of the year.
Against Pakistan, Brook formed a massive 454-run partnership with Joe Root, scoring a sensational triple century. He continued his form on the New Zealand tour, amassing 350 runs across six innings, including two centuries of 171 and 123.
Brook finished the year with 1,100 runs at an average of 55, making him the fourth-highest run-scorer of the year.
Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
Kamindu Mendis made a spectacular return to Test cricket in 2024 after nearly two years out. His year began with a brilliant tour of Bangladesh, where he scored centuries in both innings in Sylhet and finished the series as the top scorer with 367 runs.
Mendis carried his form into England, emerging as Sri Lanka’s highest run-scorer with 267 runs, including a century and two half-centuries. His exceptional performances continued at home against New Zealand, where he registered two more centuries, including a career-best 182*.
He concluded the year with a modest showing in South Africa but finished with 1,049 runs at an extraordinary average of 74.92, ranking him fifth for the year’s run-scorers.
Jamie Smith (wk) (England)
Jamie Smith made an impressive debut in 2024, quickly establishing himself as England’s first-choice wicketkeeper. He scored 70 runs in his debut innings against the West Indies and followed it up with four catches in his debut match. Smith’s confidence grew throughout the year, as he scored a brilliant 95 against the West Indies and followed it up with his maiden international century—111 against Sri Lanka.
He finished 2024 with 637 runs at an average of 42.46, and behind the stumps, he was involved in 32 dismissals, including 31 catches and one stumping.
Ravindra Jadeja (India)
Ravindra Jadeja had a standout year in 2024, showcasing his all-round abilities. He began with a strong performance against England, scoring 89 runs and taking five wickets in the first match. His efforts in Rajkot earned him a Player of the Match award as he scored 100 runs and claimed seven wickets.
Jadeja continued to shine with both bat and ball in the home series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, taking 16 wickets and scoring crucial runs. He ended the year with a strong performance in Australia, taking four wickets and contributing with the bat in his final match of the year.
Jadeja finished 2024 with 527 runs at an average of 29.27 and 48 wickets at an average of 24.29.
Pat Cummins (c) (Australia)
Pat Cummins, named captain of the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year for the second consecutive year, led Australia to series victories against the West Indies, New Zealand, and India. His leadership was pivotal in clinching the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a 10-year gap, while his performances with both bat and ball stood out.
Cummins began the year with five wickets and an unbeaten 64* against the West Indies. He played a crucial role in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he claimed 25 wickets, leading Australia to a 3-1 series victory.
In total, Cummins took 37 wickets at an average of 24.02 and scored 306 runs, averaging 23.53.
Matt Henry (New Zealand)
Matt Henry started 2024 with solid performances against South Africa and Australia, but it was during the Australia series that he truly made his mark, claiming 17 wickets—the most in the series. He followed it up with strong performances in India, where he took 10 wickets in a series dominated by spinners, including an eight-wicket haul in Bengaluru.
Henry finished the year with 48 wickets at an exceptional average of 18.58, ranking fourth among the year’s highest wicket-takers.
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Jasprit Bumrah had a magical year in 2024, dominating opposition batters with his pace and skill. He began the year with 19 wickets against England, including a stunning nine-wicket haul in Vishakhapatnam. His performances at home against Bangladesh and Australia were instrumental in India’s success, including a memorable spell of 5/30 against Australia in Perth.
Bumrah finished as the highest wicket-taker of the year, with 71 wickets at an astonishing average of 14.92.