Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has outshone Sachin Tendulkar, Andrew Flintoff and Jacques Kallis to be named as The Wisden Cricketer magazine’s Test Player of the Year for this year.
Shakib comfortably topped a performance table compiled by the magazine’s correspondents at Tests played between September last year and the end of August.
In the eight Tests Shakib played in that period, he took 45 wickets at 23 with his left-arm spin, including five five-wicket hauls, and scored 498 runs at an average of 35.57.
India’s Gautam Gambhir was ranked second with South African captain Graeme Smith claiming third place, just ahead of Tendulkar and Kallis, who tied for fourth place.
“I guess I owe my performance to keeping things simple,” Shakib said. “I don’t lose sleep over disappointments and rather look ahead to seize the next opportunity. I have been a performer and I work hard at my game to become the best cricketer I can be. Getting recognized by The Wisden Cricketer is the pinnacle of individual recognition as far as I am concerned.”
John Stern, editor of the magazine, added: “I’m sure this achievement will be a surprise to many followers of the game but it represents an outstanding 12 months for Shakib, especially in the context of him playing for an international side that is still finding its feet.”
■ASHES DEFENSE
REUTERS, LONDON
England will be begin their defense of the Ashes in Brisbane in November next year in the first Test of a five-match series, the England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia said on Wednesday.
The series opens at The Gabba from Nov. 25 to Nov. 29 followed by Tests in Adelaide and Perth.
The traditional Boxing Day Test at Melbourne is next, with Sydney’s New Year’s Test completing the series.
The schedule for the one-day series will be released at a later date.
Wisden Cricketer World Test Player of the Year ranking (Tests played, average rating):
1 | Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) | 8 | 7.94 |
2 | Gautam Gambhir (India) | 8 | 7.63 |
3 | Graeme Smith (South Africa) | 7 | 7.21 |
4 | Sachin Tendulkar (India) | 9 | 7 |
4 | Jacques Kallis (South Africa) | 8 | 7 |
6 | Ben Hilfenhaus (Australia) | 8 | 6.94 |
7 | Andrew Flintoff (England) | 8 | 6.88 |
7 | Dale Steyn (South Africa) | 8 | 6.88 |
9 | Fidel Edwards (West Indies) | 8 | 6.81 |
10 | Andrew Strauss (England) | 13 | 6.77 |
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