The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday (Jan 23) released the ODI Team of the Year, which features six Indian players despite the team losing the World Cup against Australia a few months back. The team is captained by Rohit Sharma and features Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill as well as the pace duo of Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav.

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Sharma amassed 1255 runs at an average of 52 in 2023 and led India brilliantly to the final of the ultimate tournament. His opening partner, Gill, finished the year sa the highest run-getter, smashing 1584 runs that included a double hundred against New Zealand. 

Kohli, India’s mainstay in the format for several years, had another consistent run, scoring 1377 runs which included the Player of the Tournament award in the World Cup.

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As for the bowlers, Shami was the standout, performing strongly in the quadrennial tournament and nearly pushing India over the victory shores. 

Apart from the Indian players, the list gives space to World Cup winners with Australia – Travis Head and Adam Zampa. Both players were pivotal in helping Australia win its sixth World Cup title.

While Head joined the team midway into the tournament, he smashed a half-century and claimed two wickets in a Player of the Match performance in the World Cup semi-final victory over South Africa and then exceeded that effort when he scored an unbelievable 137 against India in the decider to help Australia lift the trophy.  

Meanwhile, Zampa, the lone specialist spinner in the Australian team managed to exploit the subcontinent conditions to full effect and finished the World Cup as the second-highest wicket-taker. 

Other notable names include New Zealand middle-order batter Daryl Mitchell, wicketkeeper batter Heinrich Klassen and Marco Jansen. 

Mitchell was the standout for New Zealand throughout the year, accumulating five centuries and 1204 runs at an imposing average of 52.34 and an even more eye-catching strike rate just north of 100.

Men’s ODI Team of the Year:

Rohit Sharma (Capt, Ind), Shubman Gill (Ind), Travis Head (Aus), Virat Kohli (Ind), Daryl Mitchell (NZ), Heinrich Klaasen (WK, SA), Marco Jansen (SA), Adam Zampa (Aus), Mohammed Siraj (Ind), Kuldeep Yadav (Ind), Mohammed Shami (Ind)

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