- Joined
- Nov 25, 2023
- Runs
- 15,016
Winner crowned of the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year
The Indian talisman overcame fellow nominees Travis Head, Joe Root and Harry Brook to the title and is the fifth recipient of the award from India, after Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016) and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018).
In a year when cricket often leaned toward the batters, Jasprit Bumrah proved why he is one of the finest, if not the finest fast bowler in modern-day cricket.
Across formats, Bumrah’s 2024 exploits were a masterclass in skill, precision, and relentless consistency, as he shattered record after record and cemented his place as the world's premier fast bowler.
The current No.1 ranked bowler in the ICC Test Rankings became the fastest Indian pacer to reach 200 Test wickets, achieving the feat with a sub-20 bowling average - the best in history.
The pacer’s brilliance was reflected in his ICC Test Bowling Rankings, where he crossed the elusive 900-point mark, ending the year with a record-breaking 907 points - the highest for any Indian bowler in history.
Bumrah dominated the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, where he spearheaded India’s title-winning campaign after 17 years without having won the event. His 15 wickets came at an astonishing average of 8.26 and an economy of just 4.17, making him the Player of the Tournament.
His ability to control the game at both ends of an innings turned him into India’s most potent weapon at the T20 World Cup.
While Bumrah excelled in white-ball cricket, his manoeuvres with the red-ball were nothing short of extraordinary.
The Indian pacer tallied 71 Test wickets in just 13 matches, the highest by any bowler in 2024, and only second to Kapil Dev for the most by an Indian pacer in a calendar year.
Bumrah also finished the year as the leading wicket-taker in Test cricket, outpacing Gus Atkinson’s 52 by a wide margin.
After decent outings against Bangladesh and New Zealand, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy later in the year is where Bumrah hit peaks and levels hitherto undreamt of, sweeping the Player of the Series award for his staggering 32 wickets across five Tests.
The 31-year-old’s stellar form was also evident in his exploits in the 2023-2025 WTC cycle, where he claimed 77 wickets - a record for pacers in a single cycle.
Memorable Performances
Against Pakistan in the year’s marquee ICC tournament, the speedster stepped up his game with a mouth-watering 3-14 spell that changed the course of the game towards India’s eventual six-run victory in New York.
To top it off, his impressive 2-18 from four overs, including the big wickets of Reeza Hendricks and Marco Jansen in the final against the Proteas played an invaluable role in India’s triumph in Bridgetown.
Bumrah kicked off his year with eight wickets against the Proteas in Cape Town, including a rollicking six-wicket haul in the second innings that set up a big win and a series draw for India.
Post that, the right-arm quick went on to grab 19 dismissals in India’s 4-1 series victory over England at home, which solidified India’s position in the WTC Final contention.
To further solidify his position at the top of the ICC Test Bowler Rankings, Bumrah put in a dreamy one-man show for the visitors in the highly-anticipated and watched Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which saw him receive plaudits from across the world for his terrific act with the ball.
With five-fors in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne in the first four Tests of the series, the pacer left the Australian batters in big trouble during the course of his heroics with the ball, often picking wickets and dictating terms almost at will.
His remarkable strike rate, combined with his impeccable consistency under pressure is what sets him apart, making him undeniably the most effective bowler of the year.
ICC
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