Cricket Australia’s selection of the Best Test XI of the year reflects a memorable 2025 season marked by high-quality contests, historic series and standout individual performances. While Australia dominate the lineup with four players, India also have four cricketers featured, underlining their strong individual displays across challenging overseas and home conditions.
Shubman Gill leads India’s charge
India’s Test captain Shubman Gill emerges as the most dominant Indian presence in the XI. Gill enjoyed a remarkable year, scoring 983 runs in just nine Tests at an average of 70.21, including five centuries. His leadership and run-scoring exploits during the five-Test series in England, where he amassed 754 runs, were among the finest performances by an Indian batter overseas in recent history.
Gill’s rise was all the more striking considering he had been left out of India’s final Test of 2024. Since then, he has taken charge of the team and established himself as one of the premier Test batters in world cricket.
KL Rahul rewarded for England heroics
Opening batter KL Rahul earns his place following his best-ever calendar year in Test cricket. Rahul scored 813 runs in 2025, including three centuries, with his standout performances coming in England. No visiting opener in over two decades had dominated an English summer the way Rahul did, highlighted by a gritty 90 in Manchester that helped India secure a hard-fought draw.
Jasprit Bumrah remains India’s bowling spearhead
Despite workload management concerns, Jasprit Bumrah continued to be India’s most feared fast bowler. He claimed 31 wickets in eight Tests at an average of 22.16, including three five-wicket hauls. His spell of 5 for 27 at Eden Gardens against South Africa stood out as one of the finest fast-bowling performances of the year.
Ravindra Jadeja named 12th man
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja narrowly missed out on the playing XI but was named 12th man. Jadeja enjoyed a career-best year with the bat, scoring 764 runs at an average of 63.66, while also contributing 25 wickets. His omission came only due to team balance, not lack of performance.
India’s presence among world cricket’s best
With four players either in the XI or just missing out, India’s representation reflects consistent individual excellence despite mixed team results. The selections underline India’s strong core heading into the next Test cycle.
Indian players recognised in Cricket Australia’s Best Test XI of the year:
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Shubman Gill
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KL Rahul
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Jasprit Bumrah
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Ravindra Jadeja (12th man)
