Steve Smith has been named one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year after shining for Australia in a losing effort in last year’s Ashes series.

The Australia captain was named alongside retiring New Zealand skipper Brendon McCullum, star Black Caps batsman Kane Williamson, and England’s Jonny Bairstow and Ben Stokes.

Smith was Australia’s stand-out player in the 2015 Ashes tour of England, scoring a double century at Lords and 143 at The Oval, with the tourists winning both Tests in London.

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He was the leading run-scorer of the series, registering 508 runs ahead of Chris Rogers (480) and England’s Joe Root (460).

The principal criteria for the award is excellence and influence over the previous English summer, while no recipient can be awarded more than once.

New Zealand’s Williamson became the first Black Caps player to be selected as Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World.

Williamson’s 132 for New Zealand against England at Lord’s last year saw him become only the sixth batsman – after Sachin Tendulkar, Don Bradman, Neil Harvey, Garry Sobers and Graeme Smith – to score 10 or more Test centuries before the age of 25.

He scored 2,692 runs at an average of 65.65 in all international formats.

McCullum’s leadership was as much a reason for his inclusion in the honours list as his aggression with the bat, leading the Black Caps to a first World Cup final and guiding the team to 13 undefeated Tests.

Meanwhile, Stokes secured his position as England’s premier all-rounder with a stunning performance against South Africa, belting 258 off 198 balls against the Proteas in Cape Town, as well as smashing the fastest century at Lord’s.

Bairstow’s listing comes after a starring role against Australia in the Ashes series, with his partnership with Joe Root at Trent Bridge sealing the win.

Bairstow also scored his maiden Test century in Cape Town against South Africa.