Wisden Cricketers of the Year: Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith and Sophie Ecclestone included

Smith also made his Test debut in the summer as England’s new wicketkeeper and made his first century against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford.

The 24-year-old finished the three-match series with 280 runs at an average of 46.6, second only to Joe Root.

His solid wicketkeeping also solved England’s selection dilemma as he edged out Jonny Bairstow and Surrey team-mate Ben Foakes.

Ecclestone has been an outlier in a difficult year for England’s women, as she becomes the first English woman to be named in the quintet since batter Tammy Beaumont in 2019.

England were unbeaten during their home summer against Pakistan and New Zealand, before the disappointing group-stage exit in the autumn’s T20 World Cup and a disastrous Ashes defeat which saw head coach Jon Lewis and captain Heather Knight removed from their positions.

Left-arm spinner Ecclestone, 25, is the world’s number one ranked bowler in both white-ball formats, and surpassed Katherine Sciver-Brunt as England Women’s leading T20 wicket-taker during the series against Pakistan.

England’s Nat Sciver-Brunt and Australia captain Pat Cummins were the leading cricketers in the world for 2024.