Cook and Dhoni named ICC Test and ODI captains of the year

The ICC Test Team of the Year is an honour awarded each year by the International Cricket Council. It recognizes the top players from around the world. The team does not actually compete, but exists solely as an honorary entity.

Test team: Alastair Cook (Eng, captain), Cheteshwar Pujara (Ind), Hashim Amla (SA), Michael Clarke (Aus), Michael Hussey (Aus), AB de Villiers (SA), MS Dhoni (Ind), Graeme Swann (Eng)Dale Steyn (SA), James Anderson (Eng), Vernon Philander (SA). 12th Man: Ravichandran Ashwin (Ind)

England captain Alastair Cook has received a welcome boost ahead of this week's Ashes clash against Australia after he was named skipper of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) test team of the year. Alastair Cook making his third consecutive year for the ICC test XI. This year Cook not just a player in the team, he named the test captain for the year 2013. Dale Steyn Make his sixth time for the world test XI and level with Kumar Sangakkara for the most selected player. AB de Villiers making his 5^th appearance for the team. Hashim Amla, MS Dhoni , Graeme Swann and James Anderson named for their 3^rd year for the test XI. Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey and Vernon Philander make to the for the second time. Young Indian stars Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravichandran Ashwin makes their fist appearance for the test team.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who led India to the Champions Trophy victory in June, was named captain of ICC's one-day international team. Dhoni, who found place in the 50-over side for the sixth successive year, also won the ICC's people's choice award ahead of Cook, Australia's Michael Clarke, Virat Kohli of India and South Africa's AB de Viliers.

South African captain AB de Villiers makes his third time for the ODI team. Three Sri Lankan’s Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Lasith Malinga making their third time for the ICC ODI XI. Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal makes his second appearance for the team. It is a big year for more young players. So ICC named six young players for the team. Shikhar Dhawan, Hashim Amla, Ravindra Jadeja, Mitchell Starc, James Anderson and Mitchell McClenaghan make their first appearance for the team.

ODI team: Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL), Shikhar Dhawan (Ind) Hashim Amla (SA), Kumar Sangakkara (SL), AB de Villiers (SA), MS Dhoni (Ind, captain), Ravindra Jadeja (Ind), Saeed Ajmal (Pak), Mitchell Starc (Aus), James Anderson (Eng), Lasith Malinga (SL). 12th Man: Mitchell McClenaghan (NZ).