Sportskeeda's Test XI of the year

If there were concerns about the health of Test cricket in the past, 2016 played a crucial role in dispelling all such apprehensions.

From Day-Night Test matches to 5-match Test series between top-ranked nations, this year saw it all.

Also, this year drove home the point that teams generally dominate at home, but struggle to get going overseas.

India emerged as the Team to beat and under Virat Kohli, the Men in Blue remained an unbeaten unit throughout the year.

There were many players from across the nations who put up their hands and performed on a fairly consistent basis and towards the end of the season became lynchpins for their respective teams.

Here is our attempt to bring these players under one umbrella by devising a team of the year.

#1 Alastair Cook

Cook kept churning out runs

The England captain had a very tough year as the leader of a deflated English unit, but Cook the batsman kept churning out the runs as he has done right through his career. Ever since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, there have been as many as 14 players who have walked with Cook to face the new ball, but only Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings looked like a long-term prospect. 

Amidst all the uncertainties, the England captain has always looked assured and did what he does best, which is to grind down the opposition and accumulate runs.  

His leadership has come under the scanner, but his batting is looking as confident as ever. He is a definite choice to bunt the new ball. 

Matches	Innings	Runs	Average	Highest Score	50s	100s	NOs
17	33	1270	42.33	130	7	2	3