WTC 2023: World Test Championship Best 11 of the Tournament

Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja from India make it as we look at the combined best 11 for ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-2023.

The second edition of the World Test Championship, the WTC 2021-23 has come to a successful end with Australia, the deserving champions winning it in style. Meanwhile, It has been another disappointing final for Team India, who have now lost two ICC WTC finals in a row. Also, as predicted by leading website Betway, Australia were favourites to win the WTC with odds at 1.15. 

Over the last two years of WTC, we saw a total of 70 matches being played between 9 teams. England played the most number of matches, 22. They are followed by Australia at 20 and India at 19. In terms of win %, Australia have the best win% of 60, and they are followed by South Africa at 53.3, and India at 52.6; slightly reduced after their defeat against Australia in the final. 

In terms of player performances, there have been some really strong show. So, how about we take a look at 11 players, who have performed the best in this WTC Cycle? Well, we would select the best 11 for World Test Championship 2021-2023 based on our unique methodology. Please note, we will select at least 5 bowling options, 4 batters, and 1 wicket-keeper. 

Cricalytics Stats Wizard Methodology:

Batting: We have analyzed the batting performances basis the batting rating calculated from the overall aspect of the game such as runs scored, consistency, the number of match-winning & good knocks, and the relative percentage of Team runs. 

Bowling: We have analyzed the bowling performances basis the bowling rating calculated from the overall aspect of the game such as wickets taken, consistency, the number of match-winning and good spells, and the relative percentage of Team wickets. 

Combined Best 11 for ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-2023:  

#1: Usman Khawaja (Australia) 

Inns: 30 // Runs: 1621 // Avg: 64.8 // HS: 195* // Rating: 7.7

The best opener of ICC WTC 2021-23 belongs to none other than Usman Khawaja from Australia. Even as Khawaja failed to impress in the finals, just like Pat Cummins, he did enough overall to secure his place in the best 11. He scored a superb 1621 runs from 30 innings at a brilliant average of 64.8; the best among the top 10 run-getters. 

#2: Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka) 

Inns: 23 // Runs: 1054 // Avg: 47.9  // HS: 147 // Rating: 6.4

For the second successive season, Dimuth Karunaratne has been the best opener in the ICC World Test Championship. He did well in the 19-21 cycle, and has once again done well in the 2021-23 cycle. This cycle has seen Dimuth score a total of 1054 runs from 23 innings; the most for Sri Lanka. 

#3: Joe Root (England)

Inns: 40 // Runs: 1915 // Avg: 53.2 // HS: 180* // Rating: 6.2

At number 3, we have the leading run-getter of the WTC 2021-23 cycle. Joe Root. Root scored a stunning 1915 runs this season from 40 innings at a good average of 53.2. Most of his big scores came in England, but he had a lot of 50s away from home. Having said that, Root was also dismissed for duck 4 times; joint-most alongside Steve Smith.  

#4: Babar Azam (Pakistan)

Inns: 23 // Runs: 1527 // Avg: 61.1  // HS: 196 // Rating: 8.2

Undoubtedly the best batter of this WTC cycle, Babar Azam has scored runs in bulk for Pakistan in Test matches.  Babar scored a brilliant 1527 runs from 23 innings at a good average of 61.1. Babar maintained a consistency of 56%; the highest among the top 10 run-getters. The only thing that Babar would rue as a batter is not getting a double hundred after such a fantastic performance.

#5: Travis Head (Australia)

Inns: 28 // Runs: 1389 // Avg: 55.6  // HS: 1 // Rating: 7

At number 5, we have the player with the highest strike rate in the WTC cycle, Travis Head. Travis Head played with intent whenever he came to bat for Australia. Head batted for 28 innings, and scored a solid 1389 runs at a brilliant strike rate of 81.8; the highest in the competition. After Usman, Head has looked like Australia’s best batter this season. 

#6: Rishabh Pant (wk) (India)

Inns: 21 // Runs: 868 // Avg: 43.4 // Dismissals: 50

At number 6, we have the best wicket-keeper batter of the season for the second successive WTC season, and the player India missed the most in the ICC WTC final, Rishabh Pant. Pant missed 5 Test matches owing to his accident. Even then, he is almost neck-and-neck with Pujara in terms of most runs scored for India with 868 runs to his name. Similar to Head, Pant plays an attacking brand of cricket, and has scored those runs at a strike rate of 80.8. 

#7: Ravindra Jadeja (India) 

Mat: 13 // Runs: 721 // Wkts: 47 // BO. Avg: 23.7

Number 7 sees the best all-rounder for this WTC cycle and in the world, Ravindra Jadeja. Be it scoring runs or taking wickets, Jadeja has done it all for India. He has scored a solid 721 runs batting at 7 or below and taken a good 47 wickets this season. All these while playing only 13 Tests this cycle.  

#8: Pat Cummins (c) (Australia)

Inns: 27 // Wkts: 57 // BO. Avg: 22.2 // BBI: 5/38 // Rating: 7.9

At number 8, we have the captain of the side and the third-best pacer of this WTC cycle, Pat Cummins. Cummins, the best pacer for Australia took a total of 57 wickets this season from 27 innings at a good average of 22.2. The leader of Australia and their pace attack helped Australia with their first WTC trophy.  

#9: Nathan Lyon (Australia)

Inns: 34 // Wkts: 88 // BO. Avg: 26.1 // BBI: 8/64 // Rating: 9.7

The choice of the spinner felt the most difficult decision while selecting the 11. On one hand, we have Nathan Lyon, who is the leading wicket-taker of this WTC cycle, and on the other hand, we have Ravichandran Ashwin, who is the World’s Number 1 bowler. As tough as it gets, Nathan Lyon has looked more impressive overall.

Nathan has taken a total of 88 wickets this season from 34 innings with a bowling rating of 9.7. In comparison, Ravichandran Ashwin has taken 61 wickets from 26 innings at a bowling rating of 8.5, which isn’t bad either. However, Ashwin is still our 12th man for the performance he has given this season. 

#10: Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

Inns: 22 // Wkts: 67 // BO. Avg: 21.1 // BBI: 6/50 // Rating: 10

At number 10, we have the best pacer of this WTC cycle, and that too by a mile. Rabada, the leading wicket-taker among pacers took a solid 67 wickets from just 22 innings; that’s roughly 3 wickets per innings. Rabada maintained a fantastic consistency of 90.9%, the best among all bowlers, and not once did he go wicket-less in this WTC cycle. 

#11: Ollie Robinson (England)

Inns: 25 // Wkts: 53 // BO. Avg: 20.8 // BBI: 5/49 // Rating: 8.9

At number 11, we have England’s best pacer, Ollie Robinson. Robinson marginally edged James Anderson in terms of overall effectiveness. Robinson took a solid 55 wickets from 25 innings at a good consistency of 74.4 as compared to Anderson’s 58.3. In terms of rating, Robinson has a higher rating of 8.9 as compared to Anderson’s 7.8. 

Combined Best 11 for ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-2023:

Usman Khawaja, Dimuth Karunaratne, Joe Root, Babar Azam, Travis Head, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Pat Cummins (c), Nathan Lyon, Kagiso Rabada & Ollie Robinson.

So, that’s about the combined best playing 11 for ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-2023. Overall, as compared to the last WTC cycle of 2019-21, only Dimuth Karunaratne, Rishabh Pant, Babar Azam, and Pat Cummins repeat themselves. 

Thanks for reading! What’s your take on ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-2023 Best 11? Please email your comments to business@cricalytics.com

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