Jasprit Bumrah named as the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year 2024

It was a clinical year for the Indian pace ace, Jasprit Bumrah, and as a reward for all his diligence, he walked away with the bragging rights of the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2024 award. Bumrah stood out significantly in the whites throughout 2024, keeping India afloat in the contention for a third straight WTC final berth.

Bumrah spearheaded the charge for India, propelling them to wins against England and Bangladesh at home. Away from home, the right-arm pacer was also in sensational touch, helping India post a formidable performance in South Africa and Australia.

The Indian fast bowler topped the wicket-taking charts with a significant difference, claiming 71 wickets in 2024. The closest contender to his feat was England’s Gus Atkinson who registered 52 wickets from 11 games. Bowling a staggering 357 overs in the format, Bumrah maintained a stunning average of 14.92 across the year while registering a strike rate of 30.1 which proved to be a major difference-maker for India in the format.

Bumrah’s 71-wicket haul made him the fourth Indian bowler to claim more than 70 Test wickets in a calendar year, walking in the footsteps of Ravichandran Ashwin, Anil Kumble and Kapil Dev. Bumrah’s average proved to be the lowest amongst all the 17 bowlers who registered more than 70 wickets in Test cricket in a calendar year.