CricTracker Fan Poll: Top 10 Test cricketers of the year 2017

In another fascinating year of Test cricket, some of our beloved cricketers gave it their best shot and provided some unforgettable moments. From Steve Smith‘s exploits against archrivals India and England to Virat Kohli’s record-breaking tenure, this was a year which saw few cricketers in all new horizons, which were considered terrestrial at one point.

Going purely by cricketing terms, Smith has to be the best player in the longest format this year. South Africa’s Dean Elgar, who also got an opportunity to lead his side on a few occasions this year, was brilliant in the opening department and also joined the unenvious elite club of people who got out on 199.

Sri Lanka‘s Dimuth Karunaratne, Aussie spinner Nathan Lyon, Ravichandran Ashwin and a lot of other cricketers made it to CricTracker’s top 10 unranked list of Test cricketers. When we conducted a poll on our official Facebook handle, this is how people responded and few of the results might come in as a surprise for the fans.

10. Dean Elgar – 1%

After years of struggle, Dean Elgar has finally established himself as a dependable opener in the South African lineup. Arguably the best cricketer for the Proteas in 2017, he and Rabada scaled new heights over the last 12 months and barring their embarrassing loss to England, their calendar year has been outstanding. He also captained his side in Du Plessis’ brief absence and for his wonderful rendition, he was ranked number 10 by the fans.

9. Dimuth Karunaratne – 1%

Dimuth Karunaratne’s votes might not speak the true story, but the southpaw had a splendid year. He played a very crucial role in registering a historic series win in UAE against Pakistan and backed his brilliant performances with some other stunning knocks. The gritty opener managed to finish the calendar year on a low point by registering below par scores against India, but that doesn’t really take away anything.

8. Kagiso Rabada – 1%

One of the finest talents on the planet right now, Kagiso Rabada is steamrolling past lineups with his explosive pace and consistency. The youngster is still a newbie in the fraternity but has already gone past the 100-wicket mark in Tests. He also reached the helm of the ICC Rankings for bowlers in Tests, but his stay there was temporary. Rabada is another one of those cricketers who got 1% votes from the fans.

7. Nathan Lyon – 1%

To make a name for yourself as a spinner in Australia is relatively difficult and Nathan Lyon is proving to be a match-winner with the ball these days for his National side. In the ongoing Ashes, he already made Alastair Cook and Jonny Bairstow his bunnies. Although he managed to bag just one percent of the votes from the fans, many experts like Ricky Ponting believe he will eclipse the 400-mark in his wickets’ column in Tests.

6. Ravindra Jadeja – 3%

One of the most important members of the Indian contingent, Ravindra Jadeja reached the number one rank amongst the bowlers in Test cricket. He also reached a career-best rating of 899 this year, which indeed explains how much he has been contributing to India’s incredibly successful year. Just like his companion Ashwin, he has been sidelined from the limited overs to ensure they are more lethal in the Tests and it seems as though the plan is working as of now.