India’s top fast bowler and vice captain, Jasprit Bumrah, has been nominated for the 2024 International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Men’s “Test Cricketer of the Year” Award. He is vying for this esteemed award against Joe Root of England, Harry Brook, and Kamindu Mendis of Sri Lanka.
In Test cricket, Bumrah had a remarkable year, putting up strong performances all season long in 2024. He took 71 wickets in just 13 games, more than he had taken in the four years prior. With five five-wicket hauls, including three against Australia in the present Border-Gavaskar Trophy series and one each against South Africa and England, he had an impressive bowling average of 14.92.
Bumrah showed off his abilities in the South Africa series at the start of the year, with scores of 2/25 and 6/61 at Newlands. In India’s five-Test home series against England, he maintained his outstanding form by taking 19 wickets on surfaces that were conducive to spin. In Bangladesh, where he claimed nine wickets to aid India in winning the series 2-0, Bumrah’s stellar season continued.
But his most difficult series was against New Zealand, where he went wicketless in Pune after taking only three wickets in the previous two Test matches. He left a lasting impression in Australia in spite of the difficult series. Bumrah led India to a historic victory in his debut game as stand-in captain in Perth, scoring an incredible 5/30. He went on to take 13 more wickets in the series’ four innings.
Despite India losing the match by 184 runs, Bumrah had a great last performance of the year in Perth, claiming nine more wickets.
He is up against tough competition for the ICC Men’s “Test Cricketer of the Year” Award. Joe Root scored 1556 runs at an average of 55.57, including six hundreds and five fifties, making him the highest-scoring player in Test matches in 2024. Kamindu Mendis had a fantastic year, tying Don Bradman’s 13-inning record and being the third-fastest player to amass 1000 Test runs. He had the highest batting average of any player with more than two Test appearances in 2024, finishing the season with an incredible 74.92.
Harry Brook, who amassed 1100 runs at an average of 55 in 12 Test matches, also had an outstanding season. Among his achievements were three fifties, four hundreds, and a standout 317-run innings against Pakistan.
Bumrah will have fierce competition for the coveted prize because of his exceptional efforts, but he is a serious candidate because of his amazing bowling accomplishments.
