Ponting leads World Test Team of the Year

The ICC has announced its official World Test Team of the Year, as chosen by a specially appointed selection panel chaired by Sunil Gavaskar. The announcement was made at the ICC Awards celebration in Johannesburg.

The World Test Team of the Year (in batting order) is:

Matthew Hayden (Aus)

Michael Vaughan (Eng)

Ricky Ponting (Aus, captain)

Mohammad Yousuf (Pak)

Kevin Pietersen (Eng)

Michael Hussey (Aus)

Kumar Sangakkara (SL, wicketkeeper)

Stuart Clark (Aus)

Makhaya Ntini (SA)

Mohammad Asif (Pak)

Muttiah Muralitharan (SL)

12th man: Zaheer Khan (Ind)

Six teams are represented in the 12-man line-up and six players - Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Mohammad Yousuf, Kumar Sangakkara, Makhaya Ntini and Muttiah Muralitharan - were also named in the World Test Team of the Year in 2006. Ponting also appeared in the team of 2005 and 2004.

Ponting was named captain after achieving the same honour in the World ODI Team of the Year earlier in the evening.

The team was chosen by the ICC's specially appointed expert selection panel made up of Gavaskar, the former India captain, and also including Chris Cairns, the former New Zealand allrounder, ex-South Africa batsman Gary Kirsten, Iqbal Qasim, the former Pakistan left-arm spinner, and ex-England captain Alec Stewart.

Selection for the Test Team of the Year was based on performances between the voting period of 9 August 2006 to 8 August 2007. Statistics were available as a guide but were not necessarily a determining factor in the choices made.