Well, the new year is near and we are getting into the season of year-end awards. The International Cricket Council (ICC) is gearing up to confer the best cricketers of year and we recently got the shortlist of nominees for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy—Men’s Best Player of Year. Incredibly, the list excluded seems to be a little biased towards Test cricket. While Test cricket weightage should be more, the ICC should also consider players who have played at least two out of the three formats in the whole year. Regardless, the four nominees are Jasprit Bumrah, Travis Head, Harry Brook, and Joe Root.
Jasprit Bumrah the clear winner for Best Cricketer of the Year 2024?
Jasprit Bumrah deserves to be named the Men’s Player of the Year for 2024 because of his unmatched consistency and game-changing performances across formats. He is, by far, the best cricketer at the moment. His contribution to India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup was nothing short of spectacular. Bumrah took 15 wickets in just eight matches at an incredible average of 8.26 and an economy rate of 4.17. In the final against South Africa, he delivered under pressure and was the sole reason why India ended it’s drought of ICC trophy after 11 years. It was fascinating that Bumrah wasn’t among the nominees for the Best T20I cricketer as well. However, he is amongst the 4 nominees of the Test cricketer of the year.
In Test cricket, Bumrah’s dominance was on full display. He finished the year with 71 wickets in 13 matches at an average of just 14.92. This average is something unheard of. Whether bowling in home conditions or abroad, he was India’s go-to bowler. Leading the team in the Perth Test against Australia, Bumrah showed his class as both a player and a leader, securing Player of the Match honours with eight wickets and guiding India to victory in a challenging contest.
While players like Harry Brook, Joe Root, and Travis Head had exceptional years, Bumrah’s ability to excel in all formats, deliver in high-pressure moments, and lead from the front sets him apart. His impact on every game he played makes him the most deserving candidate for this honour. Brook and Root were fantastic, of course but most of their damage was done only in Test cricket. Root didn’t even play any limited overs cricket throughout 2024.
Nominees & their 2024 stats
| Player | Format | Batting Stats | Bowling Stats |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Tests | – | 71 wickets, Avg: 14.92, Best: 6/45 |
| T20Is | – | 15 wickets, Avg: 8.26, Econ: 4.17 | |
| Harry Brook | Tests | 1100 runs, Avg: 55.00, HS: 317 | – |
| Joe Root | Tests | 1556 runs, Avg: 55.57, HS: 262 | – |
| Travis Head | Tests | 608 runs, Avg: 40.53, HS: 152 | – |
| T20Is | 539 runs, SR: 178.47 | – |
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Not retired! Rohit Sharma to drop himself for SCG Test, Jasprit Bumrah to lead & Shubman Gill back: Reports
Top Stories
