International Cricket Council (ICC) Test and One-day International (ODI) teams of 2015 have been announced on 2nd December and it is heartening to see only two Indians, one in each category.
Star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and pacer Mohammed Shami are the only Indians to Feature in the teams announced. Ashwin is the highest wicket-taker of 2015 (55) however he was named the 12th man of the Test team.
English Test skipper Alastair Cook was named the captain of the Test team that also includes Englishmen Stuart Broad and Joe Root. Three Australian players Steven Smith, David Warner and pacer Josh Hazlewood found place in the Test team.
Three Pakistan players Younis Khan, wicket-keeper Sarfraz Ahmed and leg-spinner Yasir Shah with New Zealand duo Trent Boult and Kane Williamson formed the side, with Ashwin as the 12th man.
ICC Test Team of the Year 2015: David Warner, Alastair Cook (captain), Kane Williamson, Younis Khan, Steven Smith, Joe Root, Sarfraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Trent Boult, Yasir Shah, Josh Hazlewood, Ravichandran Ashwin.
South Africa ODI skipper AB de Villiers was named captain of the ODI team of the year with compatriots Hashim Amla and Imran Tahir in the side. Kumar Sangakarra has been selected as wicket-keeper and Sri Lankan Tillakaratne Dilshan also selected.
Steven Smith and Mitchell Starc from Australia, Trent Boult and Ross Taylor from New Zealand, Bangladesh’s 20-year-old left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman and Mohammad Shami of India are included in the team.
ICC ODI Team of the Year 2015: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Hashim Amla, Kumar Sangakkara (wicket-keeper) AB de Villiers (captain), Steven Smith, Ross Taylor, Trent Boult, Mohammed Shami, Mitchell Starc, Mustafizur Rahman, Imran Tahir, Joe Root.
