Shakib, Mushfiq selected in Guardian’s best Test XI

Bangladesh Test captain Shakib al Hasan and wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim have been chosen by British daily newspaper The Guardian in its best XI for Test matches. Shakib scored 665 runs this year at an average of 47.5 and took 29 wickets to make his place in the best Test XI in 2017, ahead of the likes of England’s Ben Stokes and Indian all-round duo Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja. Shakib’s crowning moment in red-ball cricket this year came against New Zealand when he smashed 217 in Wellington. He then blasted a century and bagged four wickets in a victorious cause against Sri Lanka.

Bit of festive fun - the Guardian's Test XI for 2017 ---------> https://t.co/IrOAiIBN5g

— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) December 26, 2017

Shakib also struck 84 against Australia at home, and grabbed 10 wickets conceding 153 runs. Mushfiq, on the other hand, made 766 runs and registered 12 catches and two stumpings behind the stumps. He hammered 127 runs in the solitary Test against India. He also posted significant runs against the Lankans and the Australians. There were highest four places for Australian cricketers – David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.

359 - @Sah75official and @mushfiqur15 put on a record Test partnership for Bangladesh against New Zealand in Wellington! #BestOf2017 pic.twitter.com/6TIAtVFVBF

— ICC (@ICC) December 21, 2017

There were also places for South Africa’s Dean Elgar and Kagiso Rabada, England’s Jimmy Anderson and India’s Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. The Guardian best Test XI of 2017 was drawn up by Vic Marks, Ali Martin, Tim de Lisle, Rob Smyth, Adam Collins and Will Macpherson.SquadDavid Warner, Dean Elgar, Cheteshwar Pujara, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Jimmy Anderson and Kagiso Rabada