Amid the challenges of dealing with bio-bubble life, cricketers around the world produced quality performances in Test matches this year.
The year 2021 saw the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) final being held, with New Zealand defeating India in Southampton to win the title.
Team India may have lost the final, but they did exceptionally in the longest format this year, breaching the Gabba fortress to win the Test series in Australia followed by 3-1 Test series at home against England. The Virat Kohli-led side was leading 2-1 before the premature end to the five-Test tour of England in September due to COVID-19 scare in the visiting camp.
Apart from New Zealand and India, Pakistan also performed well in Test cricket this year, beating South Africa at home, drawing the series in West Indies followed by a thumping victory in Bangladesh.
On a personal front, England skipper Joe Root had a dream year as he amassed more than 1500 runs while India's Rohit Sharma emerged as the best Test batter for his side in the last 12 months.
As the year comes to an end, former India opener-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra took to his official YouTube channel and named his top five batters of 2021.
Chopra picked Pakistan's Fawad Alam in the fifth position. The southpaw scored three tons, two half-centuries in 2021 and played a vital role in Pakistan's Test series win against South Africa at the start of the year.
"He has a very interesting story. He had almost left cricket, he was absent for so many years but his persistence has paid off brilliantly. He has grabbed every opportunity with both hands," Chopra said on Fawad.
Sri Lanka's Lahiru Thirimanne is the next batter to feature in Aakash Chopra’s list.
“He has scored 659 runs at an average of 50. It is very important to note who you have played if you want to know how important those runs are. He has scored against South Africa in South Africa, England in England and West Indies in West Indies,” he said.
Chopra included India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant at number three in his list.
“Pant has played 11 Tests, scored 706 runs with an average of 41. He has been brilliant as a wicketkeeper; it's almost unbelievable that he is the fastest visiting wicketkeeper to 500 runs in Tests in Australia. So, he has been extraordinary,” he stated.
“The value of his runs is absolutely outstanding, both in Sydney and Brisbane. The century against England in Ahmedabad was also great, considering it came on a relatively bad pitch.”
Rohit Sharma, who played a key role in India's domination against England in both home and away series, occupies the second spot in Chopra's list of top five Test batters this year.
“Rohit has been absolutely sensational. 11 Matches, 906 runs and an average of 47.6. He played two Tests in Australia, then England at home on considerably bad pitches. His century in Chennai remains one of the best,” said the former India cricketer.
"He scored against England in England everywhere. He has been exceptional. This year can be considered as a "watershed" moment for Rohit Sharma as a Test batter."
Aakash Chopra hailed Joe Root as the best Test batter of 2021.
"12 matches, 1455 runs, six centuries and an average of 66.1. He has played in Sri Lanka, India, and at home against New Zealand and then India again.
"A double-century in Chennai, another double in Sri Lanka, then back-to-back centuries against India in England. He has been a player par excellence, let's be honest. Root is on a different level altogether. He has to be the best Test batter of 2021."
