On Monday, the ICC named Jasprit Bumrah as the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year. Returning to Test cricket in late 2023 after a long break due to a back injury, Bumrah made an incredible impact in 2024, taking a record-breaking number of wickets and achieving several milestones.
Bumrah was instrumental in India's series victories against England and Bangladesh at home, as well as in challenging away matches in South Africa and Australia.
He finished 2024 as the top wicket-taker in Test cricket with 71 dismissals, well ahead of England's Gus Atkinson, who had 52. Bumrah bowled an impressive 357 overs during the year and maintained an extraordinary economy rate of 2.96 in an era known for quick scoring.
His yearly average was an astonishing 14.92, with a strike rate of just 30.1. Bumrah’s 71 wickets made him only the fourth Indian bowler to take over 70 Test wickets in a calendar year, joining legends like Ravichandran Ashwin, Anil Kumble, and Kapil Dev.
He also set a unique record, becoming the only bowler in Test history with at least 200 wickets to maintain an average below 20 (19.4).
Bumrah's remarkable year started with a standout performance in Cape Town, South Africa, where he took 8 wickets to help India secure a big win. He followed it with 19 wickets in a five-Test home series against England, which India won 4-1.
However, his best performance came during the Border-Gavaskar Series in Australia, where he claimed 32 wickets in five matches, earning the Player of the Series award. It was during this series that he crossed 200 Test wickets, becoming the 12th Indian bowler to reach the milestone.
At 31, Bumrah has solidified his place as one of the greatest bowlers in modern Test cricket.
