England Test captain Ben Stokes was rewarded for the dramatic turnaround in his team's fortunes as the all-rounder was named Test player of 2022 by the International Cricket Council.
Stokes' record as an all-rounder last year was impressive, scoring 870 runs and taking 26 wickets from 15 matches.
However, it was his leadership qualities that really shone through, guiding a team that had plunged to new depths in the longer format to some memorable highs.
Stokes took over the reins of the red-ball team from Joe Root and in partnership with coach Brendon McCullum, transformed England into an all-conquering Test behemoth.
Under the 31-year-old's leadership, England won nine out of 10 Tests. It included series victories over New Zealand and South Africa at home, a win over India in the one-off postponed Test to level the series at 2-2 - England chased down 378 in the fourth innings so seal victory - and a historic 3-0 series win in Pakistan.
The team had come a long way from their previous record of just one win in 17 Tests.
Stokes had earlier been named captain of the ICC Test team of the year, underlining his status as the world's premier red-ball cricketer. Along with Stokes, England's Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson were also included in the Test team of the year.
Like Stokes, Pakistan captain Babar Azam was recognised for his exploits in white-ball cricket as he was named ODI player of the year. Azam scored 679 runs from nine matches at an average of 84 in 2022, including three centuries and five half-centuries, failing just once.
Azam thus clinched the top ICC award in ODI cricket for the second straight year.
The T20 player of the year award went to India's Suryakumar Yadav, who had a scarcely believable year. Yadav broke numerous records, scoring 1,164 runs in 31 matches at an average of 46.56 and an incredible strike-rate of 187.43.
He hit a record 68 sixes during the year, and scored two tons and nine half-centuries.
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ICC MEN'S TEST TEAM OF THE YEAR 2022: Usman Khawaja (Australia) 1080 runs; average of 67.50. AFP -
Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies) 687 runs; average of 62.45. Getty -
Marnus Labuschagne (Australia) 957 runs; average of 56.29. AFP -
Babar Azam (Pakistan) 1,184 runs; average of 69.64. AFP -
Jonny Bairstow (England) 1,061 runs; average of 66.31. PA -
Ben Stokes, captain (England) 870 runs; average of 36.25. 26 wickets; average of 31.19. PA -
Rishabh Pant, wicketkeeper (India) 680 runs; average 61.81. PA -
Pat Cummins (Australia) 36 wickets; average of 21.83. EPA -
Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) 47 wickets; average of 22.25. PA -
Nathan Lyon (Australia) 47 wickets; average of 29.06. EPA -
James Anderson (England) 36 wickets; average of 19.80. Reuters
