Dubai | India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Tuesday won the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC men's Cricketer of the Year after delivering "a master-class in skill, precision, and relentless consistency" across formats in a record-shattering 2024.
The 31-year-old was adjudged the ICC's Test Cricketer of the Year on Monday and was also named in the Test Team of the Year last week.
"Jasprit Bumrah has been honoured with the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards, recognising his extraordinary 2024, in which he dominated opponents in the longest as well as the shortest format of the game," the ICC said.
Bumrah played a key role across formats for India as he became the fifth winner of the award from the country after Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016) and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018).
"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," the governing body stated in its tribute.
"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," it added.
Bumrah had a stellar year 2024 in which he played a decisive role for India with 15 wickets in their title-winning campaign in the T20 World Cup in the Americas and also became the fastest Indian pacer to reach 200 Test wickets with a bowling average of sub-20, which is also the best in history.
"I'm very happy with the honour, but I don't let myself get too high. My feet are on the ground and I'm really happy with the accolades that I get," the amiable bowler from Gujarat said in a video statement.
At the T20 World Cup, 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.
He also garnered 900 points in ICC Test bowling rankings and ended the year with 907 points, which is the highest for any Indian bowler in history.
In Tests, Bumrah finished the year with 71 wickets in only 13 matches at an average of 14.92, which was also the second best among fast bowlers to former India captain Kapil Dev's 100 wickets in 1983.
The right-arm pacer was at the peak of his performance in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under towards the end of 2024, snaffling 32 wickets in five Tests.
Overall, Bumrah claimed 77 wickets in the World Test Championship points table for India but the two-time finalists failed to make a third appearance in the summit clash for the 2023-25 cycle.
New Delhi | Jasprit Bumrah feels honoured after winning the prestigious ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year award but team's success would always be his priority and he picked India’s T20 World Cup triumph as his most cherished moment of 2024.
The 31-year-old was awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Award on Tuesday following a remarkable 2024, where he showcased "a master-class in skill, precision, and relentless consistency" across all formats.
Bumrah's stellar performance earned him accolades, including the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year on Monday and a spot in the Test Team of the Year announced last week.
"I feel really good. As a youngster, I have seen my childhood heroes winning this great award, so yeah, very happy to be at the 'receiving end'," Bumrah cheekily told broadcasters.
The India pace spearhead, however, said he will always prioritize team victory.
"So winning the T20 World Cup was really special, and the memories that we made after that are going to be close to me forever," said Bumrah, who played a pivotal role in India’s T20 World Cup campaign in the Americas, picking up 15 wickets at an astonishing average of 8.26 and an economy of just 4.17, leading India to the title.
"So I will always pick us winning the T20 World Cup first."
Bumrah's consistent performances across formats also earned him recognition as the fifth Indian cricketer to win the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year Award. Previous Indian winners include Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016), and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018).
"It feels really good to get honours from the legends of the game, but I always take things with a pinch of salt," Bumrah said.
"I'm very happy with the honour, but I don't let myself get too high. My feet are on the ground, and I'm really happy with the accolades that I get."
In the Test format, Bumrah finished 2024 with 71 wickets in just 13 matches, averaging 14.92, which was the second-best among fast bowlers, trailing only former India captain Kapil Dev’s 100 wickets in 1983. The right-arm pacer was in stellar form during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, claiming 32 wickets in five Tests.
Despite India's failure to qualify for the final of the 2023-25 World Test Championship, Bumrah claimed 77 wickets, contributing significantly to India’s points tally.
Reflecting on his memorable wickets, Bumrah singled out Ollie Pope’s wicket during the Test series against England as particularly special.
"I've been very happy to play a lot of Test cricket this year, and many wickets have been special. But the one that I took against England at Vizag, the Ollie Pope, was really special because that changed the momentum and everything," he said.
