Jasprit Bumrah, India’s exceptional fast bowler, has been nominated for the prestigious ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year award. He is also in contention for the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award. His nominations follow his outstanding performance in 2024, particularly against Australia.
Bumrah is nominated alongside England’s Joe Root and Harry Brook, and Australia’s Travis Head for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy (ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year).
For the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year award, Bumrah is listed alongside Root, Brook, and Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis.
In 2024, Bumrah’s Test cricket performance was exceptional. He took 71 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 14.92 and a strike rate of 30.16, the best figures of any bowler.
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy alone, Bumrah claimed 30 wickets in just four Tests.
“Having returned to the Test arena following his recovery from a recurring back injury in 2023, Bumrah dominated the bowling charts in 2024. Featuring across 13 Tests in the calendar year, Bumrah delivered his best-ever annual tally – 71 wickets – finishing the year with more Test wickets than any of his counterparts,” the ICC said on its website.
Bumrah’s performance remained consistent irrespective of playing conditions. He excelled both in pace-friendly conditions in South Africa and Australia, and in less favorable conditions for fast bowlers in India.
“Be it the pace-conducive conditions in South Africa and Australia, or tougher conditions for quicks at home, Bumrah was equally impressive through the year. However, it was on India’s tour of Australia that the pace spearhead produced his magnum opus,” it added.
The ICC highlighted Bumrah’s impactful spells at Perth, which led India to a 295-run victory. They also noted his significant contribution to India’s unbeaten run at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
“Bumrah nabbed 15 wickets from eight outings – including a couple in the final against South Africa – as India went unbeaten at the 2024 T20 World Cup,” the ICC said.
Travis Head’s nomination recognizes his leading run-scorer status in the T20 World Cup and his vital role in Australia’s Test batting.
“Typifying an aggressive brand of batting, the southpaw brandished runs at a brisk rate in the shortest format, and finished among the leading run-getters at ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. In the Test arena, Head was vital to Australia’s push for defending their ICC World Test Championship title,” the ICC said.
Joe Root has been the most prolific batter in Test cricket this year, accumulating 1,556 runs in 17 Tests at an average of 55.57. He has scored six centuries and five half-centuries, exceeding 1,000 runs in a calendar year for the fifth time in his career.
“Across 17 Tests, Joe Root compiled his second-best annual run-tally in Tests – second only to his 1,708 runs from 2021. It was also the fifth instance of Root scoring over 1,000 Test runs in a calendar year,” the ICC said.
Root’s consistency for England, both at home and away, has been remarkable. His impressive form has elevated him to joint-fifth position for most Test centuries (36), alongside Rahul Dravid.
“With six Test hundreds to go alongside five half-centuries, Root was a consistent performer for England – both home and away. His impressive run with the bat saw Root amass joint-fifth highest tons in Tests (36) alongside Rahul Dravid,” it added.
The ICC acknowledged Root’s career-best score of 262 against Pakistan at Multan, his sixth double century in Test matches, as one of his most significant achievements.
Harry Brook, Root’s teammate, has also been nominated, having scored 1,100 runs in 12 Tests at an average of 55.00, including four centuries and three half-centuries.
Brook ranks fourth in the 2024 run-scorers list, behind Root, India’s Yashasvi Jaiswal (1,478 runs at 54.74), and England’s Ben Duckett (1,149 runs at 37.06).
“A flagbearer of England’s quickfire brand of batting, Harry Brook emerged as a breakthrough performer in the longest format,” the ICC said.
Remarkably, Brook scored a greater proportion of his runs (723) away from home, despite playing the same number of matches in England (6).
“A noticeable trait in his performances was the fact that most of his runs (723) came away from home while playing the same number of games as he did in England (6),” it added.
Brook’s impressive 317 off 322 deliveries stands out as one of his best performances of the year.
Kamindu Mendis of Sri Lanka is also nominated. He amassed 1,049 runs in nine Tests at an average of 74.92, achieving the milestone of 1,000 Test runs in just 13 innings, equaling Sir Don Bradman’s record.
“Mendis averaged more than any of the batters who played more than two Tests in the calendar year – a staggering 74.92 from nine matches,” the apex body said.
Mendis’s exceptional batting played a pivotal role in Sri Lanka’s pursuit of their first-ever appearance in the ICC World Test Championship Final. His contributions were key to victories over New Zealand, England, and Bangladesh.
“His performances with the bat helped Sri Lanka push their claim for their first-ever appearance in the ICC World Test Championship Final with wins over New Zealand, England and Bangladesh,” it added.
The ICC highlighted Mendis’s two centuries against New Zealand at home as his most noteworthy performance. These contributions made him the fifth-highest run-scorer of the year.
