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Keeping the complete year’s performance in mind, here’s the best Test team of 2013:
1. David Warner
David Warner is normally known as a big hitter. He is also named as ‘Pocket Dynamo’. But, in the year 2013, he has developed his abilities to play the longer format. He is now, a much composed player, solid in his defence and be patient enough to wait for the bad deliveries.
In 2013, David Warner has scored 884 runs at an average of 40.18. Warner’s highest score in this year is 124 and he has made 6 half-centuries and 2 centuries so far.
David Warner always plays with a positive mind-set. David Warner’s aggressive style of batting will always help to take the attack on to the opposition. On his day, Warner is capable of taking on any bowler or any bowling attack.
2. Hashim Amla
Hashim Amla
Hashim Amla is one of those players, who plays cricket in the conventional manner. He has got immense concentration for the game of cricket. Currently, Amla holds the second position in the ICC Test batting rankings.
In the year 2013, Amla has scored 630 runs with an average of 63.00 from his 11 innings. He has strike rate just over 55 and he has scored 4 half-centuries and 2 centuries, with a high score of 118.
Hashim Amla has been really solid in his technique. He is a well composed player and has the ability to play fast and spin bowling well. He has the ability to open the innings and produce good starts to his team, as he has done for many times for his nation, South Africa.
Cheteshwar Pujara
Cheteshwar Pujara is one of the main run scorers in test for India in 2013. He became one of the fastest batsman to reach 1000 runs in Test cricket in just 11 matches and his 18th Test Innings. He won the Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2013.
The number 3 position is a pivot position in a batting line-up, and Pujara is currently the perfect player to occupy that position. Normally, many people around the world consider sub-continent as poor players on bouncy tracks or bouncing deliveries. But, Pujara is an exception, since he has shown through his career so far, that he is too good to handle the short ball. His overall career average of over 65, is really awesome.
In 2013, Pujara has scored 797 runs from 12 innings with an average of 79.70. His highest score in this year is 204 runs. He has scored 3 half-centuries and 3 centuries in the year 2013. I personally like the fact that, he idolizes Rahul Dravid.
Currently, Cheteshwar Pujara holds the seventh position in the ICC Test batting rankings. Pujara has a dream start to his career now, let him continue the good work.
4. Michael Clarke(c)
Michael Clarke
MichaelClarke won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, thereby winning the Cricketer of the Year 2013 and also the Test Cricketer of the Year 2013.
Michael Clarke is considered as one of the best test batsmen currently. He is one of the best test captains as well. In the currently going on 2013-14 Ashes series also, he has been doing well as captain and as number 4 batsman as well. He is also one of the best players of spin bowling in the current Australian team.
Michael Clarke is the highest run scorer in test in the year 2013. At an average of 47.26, Clarke has scored 1087 runs from his 25 innings. His highest score in the current year is 187. In 2013, he has 4 centuries and 3 half-centuries against his name. He holds a strike rate of over 56.
Currently, Michael Clarke holds the fifth position in the ICC Test batting rankings.
5. AB de Villiers(wicket-keepper)
AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers is one of the best wicket-keeper batsmen in test cricket. In December 2013, de Villiers became the ninth batsmen in history to top the batting rankings in both tests and ODI’s.
In 2013, AB de villers equals the world record for the most dismissals in a Test match (11 dismissals) in a test match against Pakistan at the Wanderers.
AB de Villiers has the ability to take the attack on to the opposition. He is always quick on his feet. He can use his feet not only against spin, but also against fast bowlers. He also has got great templiment and focus to play the longer format of the game.
In 2013, he has scored 859 runs with an average of 78.09 from his 12 innings. His highest score in the current year is 164. He has scored 4 half-centuries and 4 centuries in 2013.
Currently, AB de Villiers holds the first position in the ICC Test batting rankings.
6. Ian Bell
Ian Bell
Ian Bell has been in fine form this year. Bell is the second leading run scorer of the year after Clarke. He has the skill to play both spin bowling and fast bowling well.
In 2013, Bell has scored 1005 runs with an average of 43.69 from his 26 innings. His highest score in the current year is 113. He has scored 5 half-centuries and 3 centuries in 2013. He holds a strike rate of over 42.
Ian Bell along with the England captain Alastair Cook, are the two best players of spin bowling in the English team. He is having a career test average of almost 46.
7. Saeed Ajmal
Saeed Ajmal
The Pakistani off-spinner, Saeed Ajmal holds the fourth position in the ICC test bowler rankings. He is widely known as the ‘doosra’ bowler. Most batsmen around the world does not pick his ‘doosra’ well enough.
In 2013, he has taken 37 wickets from 12 innings with a strike rate of 56.1. In this year, his best bowling figures in an innings is 7 for 95. His bowling average this year is 24.72 at an economy of 2.64.
Saeed Ajmal is considered as one of the best spin bowlers around the world currently. Ajmal and Sunil Narine of West Indies is having competition between them for the ODI bowling rankings, but in test format, Narine hasn’t performed to his abilities. Thus, in the test format Ajmal is a better bowler.
According to ICC test rankings, Saeed Ajmal holds the 4th rank, behind the Sri Lankan left arm spinner Herath.
8. Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson has been really impressive in his comeback to the national squad. Mitchell Johnson has been the strike bowler for Australia this summer, and he is the key for Clarke’s plans.
After a year away from international cricket, including being dropped for the mid-season Ashes tour of England, Johnson returned to the Australia team sheet for the end of season Ashes test with England.
In 2013, he has taken 31 wickets from his 11 innings with a strike rate of 38.2. In this year, his best bowling figures in an innings is 7 for 40 against England. His bowling average this year is 18.41 and has an economy of 2.88. He has 3 five wicket hauls this year.
9. Dale Steyn
Dale Steyn
Dale Steyn is one of the best new ball bowlers in this era. Dale Steyn was named one of the Wisden cricketers of the year in 2013.
Currently, Steyn holds the second position in the ICC test bowler rankings behind his teammate Philander. A strike rate of 42 indicates that, he is going to pick a wicket on almost each spell he bowls, which is really great.
In 2013, he has taken 48 wickets from his 17 innings with a strike rate of 42. In this year, his best bowling figures in an innings is 6 for 8. His bowling average this year is 17.79 and has an economy of 2.53. He has 5 five wicket hauls and 1 ten wicket haul this year.
10. Vernon Philander
Vernon Philander
In 2013, Vernon Philander was rated by the ICC as the 2nd best bowler and the 3rd best all-rounder in the world. Currently, he is ranked 1 in the ICC test bowler rankings.
Philander gets to the number 1 test bowler spot by replacing his team-mate Dale Steyn, who has been holding that spot for a long long time. Philander always bowls a tight line, on or just outside that off stump and moves the bowl both ways. On his day, he can trouble any batsmen around the world.
On 20 December 2013, Philander took his 100th test wicket in the first test against India in Johannesburg. He needed only 19 matches to reach his 100 wickets, the joint-sixth fastest ever. Earlier the same day he scored an anchor-innings of 59 runs (from 86 balls), batting at number 8, showing off his versatility for the Proteas.
In 2013, he has taken 35 wickets from his 15 innings with a strike rate of 44.9. In this year, his best bowling figures in an innings is 5 for 7. His bowling average this year is 18.37 and has an economy of 2.45. He has 2 five wicket hauls this year.
11. Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad
Stuart Broad is the highest wicket taker in the year 2013, in the longer format of the game. According to the One Day International statistics, 2013 hasn’t been a good year for broad. But in the test format, he has really performed well for England. Stuart Broad is a kind of bowler, who really tries to hit the deck hard and also has the ability to swing the ball, mainly taking the ball away from the right-handed batsman.
In 2013, Broad set a new record for the longest time spent at the crease without scoring a run, with 103 minutes out in the middle.
In 2013, he has taken 62 wickets from his 25 innings with a strike rate of 44.9. In this year, his best bowling figures in an innings is 7 for 44. His bowling average this year is 24.62 and has an economy of 3.28. He has 5 five wicket hauls and 1 ten wicket haul this year.
Currently, he is ranked 9th in the ICC test bowler rankings.
12. Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is one of the finest young talents in world cricket. He is also converting all his talent in runs as well. Now, after the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli used to play at the famous no.4 position in test matches for India.
In 2013, he has scored 605 runs with an average of 60.50 from his 11 innings. His highest score in the current year is 119. He has scored 3 half-centuries and 2 centuries in 2013.
Virat Kohli is one of those sub-continent batsman, who is good with the short ball. He has got a century against the mighty Australia in Australia in his very first Australian tour, which shows his ability to play well overseas as well.
Currently, Virat Kohli holds the 11th position in the ICC Test batting rankings.
Disclaimer : Stats updated till 27th December 2013
