1. Graeme Smith (South Africa)
Close, but no: Tillakaratne Dilshan (Sri Lanka)
Sure, the series result was sealed and one could assume that the pressure was off. Not for Smith, though, whose lack of runs in the ODI game had the knives out. True to character, the belligerent left-hander banged his way back into form with that bottom hand-heavy stroke play of his. Upping his game to the tune of 68 - his highest score in 18 innings - in Kimberley, the under-fire opener then ended a two-year century drought with an emphatic 125 in Johannesburg. The decision to leave him out of the T20I fold for the tour to New Zealand is the right one, but in ODI cricket he must remain for the foreseeable future.

2. Hashim Amla (South Africa)
Close, but no: David Warner (Australia)
Back in the rank'n'file after returning the captaincy to AB de Villiers, Amla resumed normal duty with a fine century in the series opener against Sri Lanka and followed that up with a half-century that formed the backbone of the Proteas' successful pursuit in East London. With the series result all but wrapped up on the back of his consistency, paternity leave beckoned for Amla, leaving Alviro Petersen to fluff his chance.

3. Ricky Ponting (Australia)
Close, but no: Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
What started in Sydney with his first Test century since 2010 ended in Adelaide with a resounding 221 and complementary 60 not out. At the end of it all Ponting had an average of 140.67 to show for his four outings to the crease. Much like Smith did for his country in the ODI game this month, the former captain showed that Australian Test cricket still needs him, particularly with Shaun Marsh hopelessly short of runs and Usman Khawaja out of favour.

4. AB de Villiers (South Africa)
Close, but no: Jacques Kallis (South Africa)
This was a tough pick, but ultimately de Villiers cracks the nod for his overall consistency rather than Kallis' one-off show. Cashing in on the back of his team-mate's double-ton with a blitzkrieg 160 in Cape Town, the ODI captain then racked up a half-century in Paarl and 96 in Kimberley before going the full stretch for 125 not out at the Wanderers. His cheeky shot selection - lofted paddles over fine-leg and perfectly timed switch-hits - are unrivaled, while his progressive leadership choices - early batting Powerplays and revolving batting orders - have done an otherwise predictable Proteas' approach the world of good.

5. Michael Clarke (Australia, captain)
Close, but no: Misbah-ul-Haq (Pakistan)
Clarke would have walked into this month's XI for his unbeaten triple-century alone, but followed up his Sydney extravagance with a smooth double-ton and important 37 to stave off a potential second-innings collapse in Adelaide. Rather than negatively affect his primary role with the bat, as it has done to many before him, the addition of the captaincy has elevated the talented right-hander's prowess to supreme levels. Yes, the Indian attack was abysmal for the most part, but captain and batsman Clarke's dominance was typically unrelenting - and it seems just a matter of time before his side rise to the top of the Test pile again.

6. Virat Kohli (India)
Close, but no: Michael Hussey (Australia)
The media focus and slew of criticism fell largely on VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid's inability to cope Down Under, while Virender Sehwag's all-or-nothing approach at the top of the knock and Sachin Tendulkar's lack of a 100th international century followed suit. Under the radar slipped Kohli, weighing in with a promising 75 in Perth before going the distance for his first Test ton - India's only century for the series - in Adelaide. The lone highlight of an otherwise wretched tour for the Indians, Kohli has proven himself a cut above Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma.

7. Adnan Akmal (Pakistan, wicketkeeper)
Close, but no: Matt Prior (England)
Other than Prior against India last year and the odd sound showing with the bat from Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the 'keeper-batsman berth in this XI has been a mandatory rather than merit pick in the past. This month, however, Pakistan's finest thoroughly deserves selection. Keeping soundly to two quality spinners is a feat in itself, but doing so when Saeed Ajmal - and his doosras - and left-armer Abdur Rehman are operating in tandem in turning conditions is a very tough task. Transparent about his occasional struggles with the spin twins, Akmal's honesty is admirable in a world of stubborn heads. Of course, he is always going to be a better bet than his brother Kamran.

8. Peter Siddle (Australia)
Close, but no: Stuart Broad (England)
The 27-year-old's hunger is more evident than ever and, with being dropped in Sri Lanka put behind him, the right-armer raced through 23 scalps in the series against India - second only to Ben Hilfenhaus. Fighting off Australia's rotation policy for the fourth and final Test, Siddle's characteristic aggression earned him the fifth five-for of his career in Adelaide - and some petulant backchat from Kohli. 'Sid Vicious' is also pushing for genuine all-rounder status these days, as his 30 in Perth and a couple of other cameos will attest to.

9. Saeed Ajmal (Pakistan)
Close, but no: Abdur Rehman (Pakistan)
The mystery ball professed to be ready before the start of the series wasn't needed after all, with his string of doosras more than enough to upend England. Just ask Ian Bell. Last year's leading Test wicket-taker by a short margin, Ajmal's 2012 is off to similarly prolific standards thanks to 10 wickets in Dubai and seven in Abu Dhabi. One imagines more will follow in the third Test, with the English unable to heed coach Andy Flower's warning to 'adapt and learn quickly.'

10. Ben Hilfenhaus (Australia)
Close, but no: James Pattinson (Australia)
Eight wickets in Sydney, eight more in Perth and four in Adelaide, big Ben put in the most overs among Australia's seam attack by a long shot and fetched due reward. At the top of the knock or against the tail-enders, the steady right-armer proved the star of the show rather than the behind-the-scenes workhorse that he had become accustomed to in the past. Mitchell Johnson faces a trying time getting back into the Test XI at this rate.

11. Lonwabo Tsotsobe (South Africa)
Close, but no: Umar Gul (Pakistan)
Leading wicket-taker of the series alongside Lasith Malinga with 11 scalps, the left-armer's performances in the one-dayers will appease his axing from the Test squad somewhat. Marchant de Lange and Vernon Philander have usurped him in the five-day fold, but the one-day scene remains very much Tsotsobe's home. Plugging away outside Dilshan and Sangakkara's off-stump and mixing it up with slower deliveries takes some balls, considering the small grounds the bulk of the series was played on. See 4.81 economy - the best of the lot - for validation.

Jonhenry Wilson