Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah was nominated as ICC Cricketer of the Year on Monday — joining England batters Joe Root, Harry Brook and Australian left-hander Travis Head. He is also separately nominated for the ‘Test Cricketer of the Year’ award alongside the two English batting mainstays and Sri Lanka all-rounder Kamindu Mendis.
“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 right-arm quick also boasts incredible numbers in the longest format this year. From 13 Test outings, Bumrah notched a sizable tally of 71 wickets,” the cricket body noted.
The ace cricketer stands a chance to secure both awards — with the final decision taken through votes cast by cricket fans across the world. Fans can log in via the ICC platform and vote for their chosen players till January 10.
Bumrah has been the best bowler in Test cricket in 2024 with 71 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 14.92 and a strike rate of 30.16 — the best figures for any bowler. The right-arm pacer has also been the top bowler in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 30 wickets in a mere four Tests.
The ICC website also noted that Bumrah had returned to the Test arena following his recovery from a recurring back injury in 2023. The sports body rated his match-defining spells at Perth (to guide India to a 295-run win) among his most memorable performances along with his dominating show in the T20 World Cup.
Who are the other ICC award nominees from India?
Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 — Smriti Mandhana
Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 — Arshdeep Singh
Women’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year 2024 — Shreyanka Patil
(With inputs from agencies)
