He's currently out of the Australian team but a mountain of runs from Adam Voges has earned the veteran batsman a prime middle order spot in the ICC Test Team of the Year.
The Western Australian is one of four Australians picked – with David Warner, Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith - but the Australian skipper has been relegated to carrying the drinks.
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Voges scored three centuries in the closing months of 2015, including 269 not out against the West Indies in Hobart, and followed up his rich rein of form with another double century against New Zealand in February.
His form dropped off against Sri Lanka in the middle stages of the year and against South Africa but the two Tests he played against the Proteas weren't factored in when selectors chose the squad.
Warner opens the batting alongside England's Alastair Cook, who was picked as captain for a third time.
Starc was also elevated to a career-best sixth on the ICC Test bowler rankings.
Indian all-rounder Ravi Ashwin, in the side at number 8, was named ICC cricketer of the year and Test player of the year, the only player selected from the world's No.1 ranked Test team. England had the most selections with four, including embattled captain Alastair Cook, who is also the ICC's skipper, and wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow.
New Zealand's Kane Williamson was picked at No.3 but the batting line-up is dominated with Englishmen as Cook and Bairstow were joined by Joe Root and Ben Stokes.
![Steve Smith is carrying the drinks in the ICC's team of the year.](/web/20161223064833im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/e/r/i/r/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gtgu9o.png/1482441471501.jpg)
South African paceman Dale Steyn earned selection for the eighth time in nine years.
Ashwin, 30, the world's top-ranked Test bowler for his offspin, is the third Indian to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.
![Adam Voges makes a double century against New Zealand in February.](/web/20161223064833im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/m/v/5/r/6/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.gtgu9o.png/1482399068964.jpg)
"It's an absolute pleasure to be awarded with this great honour," said Ashwin, who won the man-of-the-series awards in each of India's last four Test series before the five-match rubber against England.
"It feels great to follow the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in being named as the ICC Cricketer of the Year. To also win the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year makes it even better."
Warner and Starc both also made the one-day side of the year - the only players to be included in the two teams - along with allrounder Mitchell Marsh. India Test captain Virat Kohli was named captain of the ODI team of the year.
South Africa wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock was named ODI player of the year, while West Indies' Twenty20 captain Carlos Brathwaite won the T20 performance of the year award.
Brathwaite was honoured for belting four consecutive sixes in the final over off England's Ben Stokes to lead West Indies to victory in the World T20 final earlier this year.
Bangladesh medium pacer Mustafizur Rahman was adjudged Emerging Cricketer of the Year, while Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Shahzad was named the Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year.
ICC Test team of the year:
1. David Warner (Australia)
2. Alastair Cook (England) (captain)
3. Kane Williamson (New Zealand)
4. Joe Root (England)
5. Adam Voges (Australia)
6. Jonny Bairstow (England) (wicketkeeper)
7. Ben Stokes (England)
8. R. Ashwin (India)
9. Rangana Herath (Sri Lanka)
10. Mitchell Starc (Australia)
11. Dale Steyn (South Africa)
12. Steve Smith (Australia)
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