WTC 2023-25 Best XI: No Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli, five Indians still make cut

The WTC cycle 2023-25 has culminated finally with the end of the Sri Lanka vs Australia Test series, and now what remains is, the final between Aussies and South Africa in June. India, after the 1-3 loss Down Under meant, they couldn’t make it to their third consecutive WTC final. But then, all said and done, the team and a few individuals came up with some sensational performances.

That is the case with players from other teams as well. InsideSport takes a look at a consolidated WTC 2023-25 playing XI, comprising of the best players across teams, in this time period.

Yashasvi Jaiswal

The southpaw Indian was by far the best opener in the WTC cycle. In 19 matches, he went on to score 1798 runs at an average of 52.88, including four tons and 10 fifties. What really stood out was, he slammed 36 sixes in 2024, the most by any batter in a calendar year.

Ben Duckett

This past cycle wasn’t the best for openers. Yes, there is Usman Khawaja — who had a better average of 41 in the 19 Tests played, but where England’s Ben Duckett really makes the difference is — his high strike-rate of 84, as compared to Aussies’ 44. In 22 matches, Duckett went on to score 1470 runs at an average of 36. He had two tons to his name.

Joe Root

Joe Root has been the highest-scorer in the cycle with 1968 runs in 22 matches. In a choice between him and Kane Williamson, the Englishman has performed against tougher oppositions, and even scored 7 tons. Root has an average of 54.66 in this time frame.

Harry Brook

Another Englishman makes it to the batting line-up. Brook has been exceptional in the 17 Tests he has played in this period. He went on to score 1463 runs at an average of 50 and a highest score of 317. In all he scored four tons and seven fifties in 29 innings.

Kamindu Mendis

A Sri Lankan player finally finds a place in the XI. Kamindu Mendis has been bit of a revelation, as far as consistent performances in concerned. In 11 encounters, he scored over 1100 runs at an average above 62. With five tons, he also boasts of a highest score of 182 not out.

Rishabh Pant (Wk)

The Indian keeper, Rishabh Pant is the best in Tests at the moment. In this cycle, he only played 10 Tests and scored 677 runs — but an average of 37 means, he makes it to the XI over Australia’s Alex Carey. He had only one ton in this tenure, and what also needs to be kept in mind, he had a relatively quiet IND vs AUS series.

Ravindra Jadeja

It must be admitted that Ravindra Jadeja is the best all-rounder in Tests. He scores runs and also picks up wickets. In 15 matches, he has 664 runs at an average of 31, and has 55 scalps to go with that. A gun fielder, Jadeja could make it to any team just purely as a batter or even a bowler, in any conditions.

R Ashwin

Now retired Ashwin is still one of the best slower bowlers in the world. In 14 matches, he picked up 63 wickets at a strike-rate of only 42. Although his batting visibly dipped during this time, he managed to score a ton and a fifty too — at an average of 19. It is his batting, where he scores over Nathan Lyon.

Marco Jansen

South African Jansen has slipped under the radar for long, but has come up with some excellent performances for sure. Batting-wise, in 6 matches he scored 200 runs with two fifties, at an average of 28. With the ball in hand, he picked up 29 wickets at an average of 20. He had a best of 7/13 vs Sri Lanka.

Pat Cummins (C)

Australian Pat Cummins is a must-have in this side, and is the skipper as well. He has been an excellent bowler in the last few seasons, where in 17 matches, he picked up 73 wickets. He had an average of 24. He chipped in with the bat too, and scored 516 runs at an average of 21.

Jasprit Bumrah

For the last 18 months, there has been no fast bowler who has come close to Jasprit Bumrah’s wicket-taking ability. In the IND vs AUS series he picked up 32 wickets, and in 15 matches in the tenure, he went on to bag 77 wickets. He had an average of 15.09.