Sportskeeda Cricket Awards 2017: Test cricketer of the year

At a time, when there were plenty of voices and detractors around the health of Test cricket, 2017 proved to be a great advert for the format.

The pitches dished out were perfect for the longest format, and barring a couple of strips, the 22-yard all favoured results and this was the reason why Test cricket rekindled hope, once again.

Right through the year, there have been players who were phenomenal for their respective sides and owing to their performances, Test cricket was back on the top pedestal.

Here in this slider, we take a look at five of the top performers in white for the year 2017.

#5 Shakib Al Hasan

2017 started miserably for Bangladesh as they were thrashed by New Zealand in the ODIs as well as the T20I series and things looked dour for them as they donned whites.

Their talisman Shakib AL Hasan then stepped in and smashed a superb 217 to give Bangladesh some hope. However, New Zealand were not going anywhere and a final day collapse handed the hosts victory by seven wickets.

However, Shakib continued to have a brilliant year, both with the bat and ball and was a critical member when Bangladesh outsmarted Sri Lanka in their own backyard and then stunned Australia in Chittagong.

In 14 innings, Shakib scored 665 runs at an average of 47.50. This included three fifties and a couple of centuries.

With the ball, he was even more spectacular, as he picked up 29 wickets in seven matches and chipped in with match-winning performances for Bangladesh whenever the chips were down.

#4 Cheteshwar Pujara

India's rock at number three, Cheteshwar Pujara continued his prolific run of scores in 2017 as he piled up runs everytime he walked out to bat.

He shielded the middle order from the new ball and this allowed the Indian batting to plunder runs.

In the 18 innings he played in 11 matches, Pujara racked up 1140 runs at an astonishing average of 67.05.

Five half-centuries and four centuries also underline his consistent run and amazing conversion rate.

He will be a crucial member for the Indian side as they embark on their overseas season in 2018.

#3 Virat Kohli

The Indian captain continued on his merry run-scoring way right through the year, across all the three formats, but he was especially spectacular in Tests and smoked 1059 runs in 16 innings across 10 matches.

His average read 75.64 and he got past 50 on six occasions and converted went on to notch five triple-digit scores.

Also, he smashed three double centuries, and the fact that he is ranked number three on this list is due to the fact that a majority of his runs came against a hapless Sri Lankan bowling attack.

However, his appetite for run-making never sapped and Indian cricket would hope their captain continues this hot streak even in 2018.

#2 Nathan Lyon

The best bowler of 2017, Nathan Lyon has carved a special niche for himself in Australian cricket.

The off-spinner has established himself as one of the match-winners for him, especially in home conditions, and in the ongoing Ashes, he has driven home his worth in the longest format.

63 wickets in 20 innings across 11 matches, which includes five 5-wicket hauls and a solitary 10-wicket haul has made Lyon one of the best spinners in the world at the moment.

#1 Steven Smith

The Australian captain has befuddled the world, no one knows how to get him out, no one knows how to stop him from scoring runs, and no one knows what to do when he saunters out with the bat in his hand.

Such has been dominance, that Smith has almost won the Ashes single-handedly with the bat and for all the detractors out there, he also scored three centuries in India on sluggish, spin-friendly pitches.

In 20 innings in 11 matches, the skipper with all his fidgetiness and unusual technique, has scored 1305 runs at an amazing average of 76.76. With three half-centuries and six half-centuries, Smith has slammed home the message that he is the best batsman in this format.