Australian skipper Steve Smith was named the ICC Test player of the year by ICC. Smith who lifted the Ashes urn at the Sydney Cricket Ground in January scored 687 runs at an average of 137.40. The accolade means the Australians have taken the award in four of the last five years, Mitchell Johnson winning in 2014 and Michael Clarke in 2013. Ravichandran Ashwin took the award last year, breaking that Australian dominance. In the ICC rankings he has climbed to 947 points, just 14 shy of Bradman’ high watermark of 961 and there is clear blue water between him and the other members of the ‘big four’ – Joe Root, Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson.