(Web Desk) – Six Indian cricketers have made the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year 2023 with Rohit Sharma named the captain of the side, the International Cricket Council announced on Monday, with no Pakistani players make it to the list.
Stars from Australia and India that went head-to-head in the final of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup dominate the team of the year.
Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, continued his remarkable record in ODI cricket with yet another sensational year in 2023 with the bat as he amassed a whopping 1255 runs at an average of 52.
Rohit was at his brilliant best throughout much of the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup, with his magnificent knock of 131 against Afghanistan in Delhi a clear highlight.
Indian batter Shubman Gill established himself as Rohit Sharma's preferred partner at the top of India's batting order at the start of 2023 when he smashed a wonderful 208 from just 149 deliveries against New Zealand in Hyderabad.
It was one of five occasions that Gill managed to reach triple figures in 50-over in 2023 and no player finished with more runs (1584) than the star right-hander compiled during the calendar year.
Australian player Travis Head is a player of immense class that saves his best performances for the grandest stage of all. He shone for much of 2023 and peaked when it mattered most during the 50-over World Cup in India as he helped Australia claim a record sixth title.
Head 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.
Virat Kohli, the India stalwart, compiled yet another consistent 12 months in 2023 and only teammate Shubman Gill bettered his total of 1377 runs during the calendar year.
Kohli reached three figures on six occasions in 2023, breaking Sachin Tendulkar's record for most international centuries during India's World Cup campaign on his way to winning the Player of the Tournament award at the showcase event.
The ICC said no one came close to matching Mohammed Shami's haul of four five-wicket hauls in 2023 and the experienced right-armer is a much-deserved member of ODI Team of the Year honours.
While Shami contributed a host of match-winning exploits, it was his magnificent spell of 7/57 - the best figures for an India Men's player in ODI history - in the World Cup semi-final against New Zealand in Mumbai that stood out most.