England skipper Alastair Cook was named captain of the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Team of the Year on Wednesday, with international team-mates Joe Root and Stuart Broad also selected.
Cook, 30, has recaptured his form in 2015, skippering England to Ashes glory against Australia and recently hitting 263 against Pakistan, and is the current leading Test run-scorer for the year.
He was included in the ICC team, selected by an expert panel, for the fourth time and the second as captain.
“I would like to congratulate all the players for their selection in the Test and ODI teams of the year,” said awards selection panel chairman Anil Kumble, the former India captain.
“It is an achievement for each of them to be proud of and a recognition for their good performances in the qualifying period.”
Root scored two crucial Ashes centuries and is currently joint top of the Test batting rankings.
Broad, selected for the fifth time, is the leading fast bowling wicket-taker in Tests this year and recorded career-best figures of 8-15 against Australia at his home ground of Trent Bridge.
Australia captain Steve Smith and New Zealand’s left-arm fast bowler Trent Boult were named in both the Test and one-day international teams, with Root appointed 12th man for the one-day side.
South African lynchpin AB de Villiers captains the 50-over team.
ICC Test Team of the Year
A Cook (England, capt), D Warner (Australia), K Williamson (New Zealand), Younis Khan (Pakistan), S Smith (Australia), J Root (England), Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan), S Broad (England), T Boult (New Zealand), Yasir Shah (Pakistan), J Hazlewood (Australia); 12th man: R Ashwin (India)
ICC one-day international Team of the Year
AB de Villiers (South Africa, capt), T Dilshan (Sri Lanka), H Amla (South Africa), K Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), S Smith (Australia), R Taylor (New Zealand), T Boult (New Zealand), M Shami (India), M Starc (Australia), Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh), Imran Tahir (South Africa); 12th man: J Root