As 2024 is coming to a close, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced the nominees for the prestigious ICC Test Cricketers of the Year Award.
Four players have made the cut, with only one of them being a bowler. This year has shown some great Test cricket action across the world, with players making waves with their impressive performances.
Two of the nominated players are already best in their discipline, while the other two are on their way to cement their legacies. So here are the four players nominated for this top honour by the ICC.
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ICC Test Cricketers of the Year Award 2024: Nominees
Joe Root (England)
Joe Root was at his absolute best in Test cricket to finish as the highest run-getter this year. He accumulated 1556 runs at an average of 55.57, including six centuries and five fifties in 31 innings (17 matches).
A few months ago, Root became the leading Test run-scorer for England, surpassing former captain Alastair Cook. He also bettered Cook in the century list, raising his 36th Test ton earlier this month against New Zealand.
The right-hand batter had a poor start this year, failing to cross 30 in the first three Tests against India. But he bounced back quickly, scoring the first of six hundreds to kick off his incredible run in 2024.
Root enjoyed a stellar outing in the English summer against the West Indies and Sri Lanka before hitting his career-best of 262 against Pakistan. He capped off the year with his 36th Test century in New Zealand.
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Jasprit Bumrah is the only bowler present among the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award nominees. And he makes the list on the back of a sensational performance in the longer format.
Bumrah carried India’s pace attack like no other fast bowler had in a long time. He ended up with 71 wickets in 26 innings at an impressive average of 14.92.
The right-arm pacer is the only other Indian fast bowler after Kapil Dev to rack up 70-plus Test wickets in a calendar year. So that makes his achievement even more special.
Bumrah started the year with an eight-wicket match haul against South Africa in Cape Town, helping India level the series. He then left England batters gasping for breath on competitive pitches at home before his superb outing in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 (BGT) in Australia.
Bumrah has 30 scalps to his name from the four matches, with one Test still to go in the series. The Indian pacer looks frontrunner to bag this award.
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Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
Kamindu Mendis had an incredible year after returning to the Test squad after almost two years. On his return, the left-hand batter grabbed the opportunity with both hands, scoring twin centuries in the Sylhet Test against Bangladesh in March.
That twin strike set the tone for the rest of the year, as Mendis had a good time on the England tour before knocking down New Zealand at home.
In the meantime, he levelled Don Bradman’s record of completing 1000 Test runs in 13 innings, the joint-third fastest by any batter. He also wrapped up the year with a massive average of 74.92 while scoring 1049 runs in 16 innings (nine matches).
Looking at Mendis’ performance in 2024, he seems to be their batting mainstay for a longer time.
Harry Brook (England)
The last nominee on the list is England’s Harry Brook. The right-hand batter has been enjoying a stellar run in Test cricket since his debut in 2022.
But this year, he hit full throttle to cross the 1000-run barrier for the first time in a calendar year. Brook netted 1100 runs in 20 innings (12 matches) despite missing the India tour earlier in the year.
He blasted four centuries and three fifties, including his career high of 317 against Pakistan. The triple hundred came off 322 balls on a flat Multan wicket.
Brook continued his purple patch on the New Zealand tour, where he added two more hundreds, playing a key role in England’s series win in the country.
So these are the four nominees for the ICC Test Cricket of the Year award. It will be interesting to see who ends up getting the top honour this year.
