Test cricket in 2025 delivered drama, dominance, and defining individual brilliance across continents. From record-breaking run sprees in England to match-winning spells in Asia and Australia, the longest format once again proved why it remains the ultimate test of skill and temperament.
After reviewing performances across conditions, opposition quality, and impact in big moments, here’s the ProSports Test Team of the Year:
ProSports World Test XI 2025
KL Rahul (India)
KL Rahul’s 2025 marked a remarkable revival in red-ball cricket. He produced the most consistent year of his Test career, finishing as one of the leading run-scorers globally. His defining performances came in England, where he dominated the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy with authoritative strokeplay and patience against the moving ball.
Rahul piled up over 500 runs in that series alone, narrowly missing a long-standing Indian record, and added three centuries across the year.
Devon Conway (New Zealand)
Devon Conway enjoyed a historic year that elevated him into the elite bracket of modern Test openers. His standout moment came against the West Indies, where he produced a rare double, scoring a double century and a century in the same Test, an achievement never before seen by a New Zealand batter.
Across the calendar year, Conway’s average hovered in extraordinary territory, reflecting his dominance against both pace and spin.
Shubman Gill (India)
Appointed India’s Test captain, he delivered one of the finest debut captaincy series in history during the tour of England. Gill shattered records with monumental scores, including a match for the ages where he followed a double century with a 150-plus effort in the same Test. He ended the year as the leading run-scorer in Tests.
Joe Root (England)
Joe Root continued to rewrite the record books in 2025. The England stalwart climbed to second on the all-time Test run-scoring list and finally cracked the code in Australia with his maiden Ashes century Down Under. Root’s mastery against India at home further underlined his greatness, as he crossed historic run and century milestones against a single opponent.
At a time when England faced difficult transitions, Root remained their pillar, relentless, adaptable, and endlessly prolific.
Temba Bavuma (c) (South Africa)
Temba Bavuma’s year was defined by leadership and composure under pressure. As captain, he guided South Africa to World Test Championship glory at Lord’s, anchoring a tense fourth-innings chase in the final.
Later in the year, he oversaw a historic clean sweep in India, achieving what no South African captain had managed in a quarter-century. Bavuma’s personal batting numbers matched his leadership impact, as he averaged comfortably above 60 while remaining unbeaten as Test captain throughout the year.
Alex Carey (wk) (Australia)
Alex Carey delivered a career-defining year behind and in front of the stumps. He emerged as Australia’s leading Test run-scorer in 2025, registering centuries across continents, including a record-breaking knock in Asia.
Carey’s Ashes performances elevated him into elite company, becoming one of the few wicketkeepers to win Player of the Match honors in an Ashes Test. Sharp glove work, athleticism, and clutch batting made him the standout wicketkeeper of the year.
Ravindra Jadeja (India)
Ravindra Jadeja produced one of the greatest all-round Test years in modern cricket. He was unstoppable with the bat, especially in England, where he broke long-standing records for lower-order run-scoring. Jadeja crossed major career milestones, joining a legendary group of Test all-rounders with 4,000 runs and 300 wickets.
With the ball, he remained India’s control master, delivering match-turning spells at home. Jadeja’s consistency and versatility made him indispensable.
Marco Jansen (South Africa)
Marco Jansen’s all-round brilliance peaked during South Africa’s historic tour of India. In one unforgettable Test, he combined explosive lower-order batting with a devastating left-arm spell to dismantle India’s lineup. Jansen’s ability to change games with both bat and ball, combined with his natural bounce and aggression, established him as one of the most valuable all-format all-rounders in world cricket.
Mitch Starc (Australia)
Mitch Starc enjoyed arguably the finest year of his Test career. At 35, he reached new heights, breaking records with blistering pace and swing. Starc became the most prolific left-arm fast bowler in Test history, recorded the fastest five-wicket haul ever, and dominated the Ashes with match-winning spells. His ability to strike early and late, often in clusters, made him Australia’s spearhead once again.
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Jasprit Bumrah continued to redefine fast bowling excellence in 2025. Despite careful workload management, he delivered decisive performances across England, Australia, and South Africa. Bumrah became the first Asian pacer to claim 150 Test wickets in SENA countries.
Whether swinging the new ball or executing reverse swing with surgical precision, Bumrah remained India’s ultimate match-winner.
Simon Harmer (South Africa)
Simon Harmer’s comeback story was one of the highlights of the year. Returning to international cricket after a long absence, the veteran off-spinner tore through batting lineups in Pakistan and India.
His mastery of flight, drift, and turn powered South Africa to historic subcontinent victories, earning him Player of the Series honors and global acclaim. Harmer’s 2025 was a reminder that experience, when paired with skill, can still dominate the modern game.
