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From Virat Kohli To Pat Cummins, A Look At Best Cricketers Of 2023

Cricket is a team sport, but yet every day, every month and every year, we find some select faces who stand out in a crowd of hundreds of players out there representing their national flag on the pitch. 2023 was no different. While the year will be remembered for Australia completing a three-peat of ICC World Test Championship, The Ashes and ICC Cricket World Cup, India's dominant run at home that concluded with heartbreak of a World Cup final loss, the aggression of South African cricket team, England's 'Bazball' school of Test cricket and failing down of old, World Cup winning empires like Sri Lanka, England and West Indies, certain individuals caught the eye of fans with their performances. Let us look at some of the best players of this year:

India vs South Africa: "Most Selfless Cricketer" Rohit Sharma Gets Ultimate Praise From Simon Doull

Since the Cricket World Cup 2023 final heartbreak, India captain Rohit Sharma will return to international cricket for the first time, leading the Indian team in the 2-match Test series against South Africa. While Rohit and several other Indian cricketers are expected to be still a little heartbroken over what happened against Australia in the World Cup final, Rohit will be a man in the spotlight over multiple affairs that have transpired in the past few weeks. As there remains a lack of clarity over Rohit's future in the Indian team, former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull has called him the 'most selfless cricketer' he has seen in a long time.

Ahead Of First Test Match Against India, South Africa Coach's Big 'Kagiso Rabada' Warning

With his frontline pacers Kagiso Rabada and Lungi Ngidi hitting the nets ahead of the 'Boxing Day' Test, South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad on Saturday expressed confidence that India won't be able to breach their 'Final Frontier' in the upcoming series. Rabada was rested from the white ball leg as he was nursing a heel niggle while Ngidi pulled out after sustaining a left ankle injury ahead of the T20Is. On Saturday afternoon though, Rabada and Ngidi bowled full tilt at the centre training wicket of the Supersport Park and facing them was Dean Elgar, who is playing in his last series. The Centurion track is a pacer's dream although India did get the better of South Africa last time around. The head coach would want his lethal weapons to fire on all cylinders.

"We Have Had Discussions...": Rahul Dravid On KL Rahul Keeping Wickets Against South Africa In Test Series

Ahead of India's first Test against South Africa at Centurion, Indian head coach Rahul Dravid said on Sunday that the series being a short, two-match affair leaves India with less time to bounce back from any adversity and the team is motivated to roar back into their winning ways following the dissapointment of ICC Cricket World Cup final loss to Australia. India will kickstart the two-match Test series against South Africa with the first Test at Centurion from Tuesday onwards. For many seniors like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, this will be their first international assignment following the loss to Australia in the World Cup finals last month.

From Rohit Sharma's Sense Of Humour To Virat Kohli's Return, Inside Details From India's Net Session

It has now been more than a month since the forgettable World Cup final but it still hurts like hell. However, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli are two battle-hardened professionals who know that it's important to move on as they sweated it out in companionable silence. There's a 31-year jinx in Indian cricket having missed out on a Test series win in the 'Rainbow Nation' and in the twilight zone of their careers, both would want to achieve which no other Indian teams could. While Kohli, who came back from London after a short break with family, joined the training after half an hour, Rohit did look a bit more relaxed after shutting himself off for three weeks.

Shubman Gill To Not Open, Virat Kohli At No. 4: Sunil Gavaskar Picks India XI For 1st Test Against South Africa

Legendary Indian cricket team Sunil Gavaskar picked the playing XI for the first Test match against South Africa starting December 26 in Centurion and there were a couple of massive changes in the batting order. Gavaskar picked Rohit Sharma and youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal as the openers with Shubman Gill coming out to bat at No.3.and Virat Kohli at No. 4. KL Rahul was his wicket-keeper pick with Shreyas Iyer accompanying him in the middle order. Gavaskar said that both Rahul and Shreyas are good batters and it will depend on the situation to decide who bats at No. 5 and who comes out at No. 6.

"No Bigger Challenge Than That": Gautam Gambhir's No-Nonsense Take On 'Unfair' KL Rahul Situation

With Rishabh Pant still recovering from a horrific car accident he incurred in December last year, Team India have struggled to find an ideal replacement for him behind the stumps, especially in Test cricket. While there is no hint of Pant's return to international circuit anytime soon, India are set to play South Africa in a two-match Test series, starting with the first game in Centurion from December 26. They will also play five Tests against England on home soil, starting January 24. While KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan have kept the wickets in Pant's absence, it is KL Rahul who is set to take the responsibility against South Africa.

"Fourth Stump Channel And...": To Dismiss Virat Kohli In Tests, South Africa Great Prescribes This To Home Pacers

When it comes to tackling the peerless Virat Kohli, Fannie De Villiers wants the South African team to play the waiting game in the upcoming Test series. The former South Africa pacer told PTI: "Only way to get a Virat Kohli kind of batter out is a very orthodox way of bowling on the fourth stump channel and play a waiting game. And wait for that one delivery which nips a bit far away. You can't attack a good player."

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From Virat Kohli To Pat Cummins, A Look At Best Cricketers Of 2023

India vs South Africa: "Most Selfless Cricketer" Rohit Sharma Gets Ultimate Praise From Simon Doull

Ahead Of First Test Match Against India, South Africa Coach's Big 'Kagiso Rabada' Warning

"We Have Had Discussions...": Rahul Dravid On KL Rahul Keeping Wickets Against South Africa In Test Series

From Rohit Sharma's Sense Of Humour To Virat Kohli's Return, Inside Details From India's Net Session

Shubman Gill To Not Open, Virat Kohli At No. 4: Sunil Gavaskar Picks India XI For 1st Test Against South Africa

"No Bigger Challenge Than That": Gautam Gambhir's No-Nonsense Take On 'Unfair' KL Rahul Situation

"Fourth Stump Channel And...": To Dismiss Virat Kohli In Tests, South Africa Great Prescribes This To Home Pacers