Worst XI of 2024: Players who struggled the most across formats

2024 was a high-octane year for international cricket. There were loads of action-packed moments for the cricket fraternity to savour. Plus, there were a handful of newcomers setting foot and establishing themselves as almost-full-time assets for their respective nations. 

Apart from the aforementioned bracket of players, loads of mainstream players already linked with the game for long put in exceptional performances as well. However, there were several players who had a forgettable year irrespective of the format in consideration. Surprisingly, a lot of renowned players did not have a memorable 2024.

Here is the worst XI of 2024 across all formats:

Openers: Devon Conway, Andy Balbirnie

Devon Conway did not play any ODIs in 2024. However, his form in Tests and T20Is was not of major prominence. The Kiwi opener could garner only 386 Test runs in the 18 innings he featured. Eight of those innings entailed single-digit scores. Conway copped a golden duck in his first T20I of 2024. Apart from the sole fifty which came against Australia, there were no other significant performances from the southpaw's end.

Andy Balbirnie played only two Tests in 2024. Although he managed an unbeaten half-century against Afghanistan in what was Ireland's maiden Test win, that was about it. Balbirnie's first ODI was an arduous struggle for him, accruing only four off 18 deliveries. He was dismissed for a single run in two of the subsequent four ODI innings he played in 2024. Balbirne was in decent T20I nick ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup. However, he could not register even one score at a rate greater than a run-a-ball in the tournament.