Sportskeeda's Cricketer of the Year 2015 - counting down from No. 5 to No. 1
The year 2015 has seen world cricket rise to a whole new level thanks to several sparkling individual and team performances. Records have tumbled like dominoes, and the entertainment quotient has reached astounding heights.Another positive trend this year has been the breakthroughs of talented youngsters into the international arena, and this is always a great sign for the future of the sport. On the whole, a few cricketers shone brighter than the rest, consistent as they were throughout the year with their performances.These players have been vital to the success of their teams. Here’s a look at the Top 5 Cricketers of 2015, culminating in the crowning of Sportskeeda's Cricketer of the Year.
#5 Steven Smith - Australia
Having started his Test career as a leg-spinner batting at No.8, Steven Smith currently stands at No.1 in the ICC Test Rankings, and 2015 couldn’t have possibly gone better for the Australian Test captain.
This calendar year has been an extended purple patch for Smith, whose superb performances have won him the Allan Border Medal, the Australian Test Player of the Year, the Australian One-Day International Player of the Year, the ICC Player of the Year, the ICC Test Player of the Year, each a prestigious award in its own right. Smith’s composure and ability to score in unusual areas are reflected in his statistics:
T20Is: 1 innings, 90 runs, average: 90, strike rate: 169.81
ODIs: 17 innings, 805 runs, average: 53.66, strike rate: 86.09
Tests: 24 innings, 1474 runs, average: 73.70