New Delhi, Jan 27 (IANS): India’s fast-bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been named as the winner of the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year award for 2024. Bumrah picked an astonishing 71 wickets while bowling 357 overs in 13 matches at an average of 14.92 in 2024.

Bumrah's 71 scalps in 2024 made him just the fourth India bowler to take more than 70 Test wickets in a calendar year after Ravichandran Ashwin, Anil Kumble and Kapil Dev. Those numbers were enough for him to beat competition from Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis and England batting duo of Harry Brook, and Joe Root to win the prestigious award.

It was a year where Bumrah excelled in both home and away conditions, proving to be a key contributor in keeping India in contention for a spot in the 2025 World Test Championship Final, though the side fell short of making it to the title clash.

Bumrah’s incredible 2024 began during India’s memorable Test win against South Africa in Cape Town, where he picked eight wickets. He then went on to bag 19 wickets in India beating England 4-1 margin, with the highlight being a match haul of nine wickets and helping India to a series-levelling win in Visakhapatnam.

Bumrah’s most standout performance in Tests in 2024 came in the high-stakes Border-Gavaskar Trophy Series in Australia, where he picked 32 wickets in five matches at an average of 13.06 and a strike rate 28.37 to clinch the Player of the Series award.

It was during the series in Australia that Bumrah crossed the 200 Test wickets milestone, becoming the 12th Indian bowler to do so, though it didn’t help the visitors in avoiding a 3-1 series defeat.

His best performance on tour of Australia came when he picked eight wickets in a stunning spell in Perth, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings, to lift India towards a 295-run win.

Bumrah, 31, also set a unique record while achieving the feat, becoming the only bowler in Test history with a minimum of 200 dismissals to have an average less than 20 (19.4).