Indian pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December 2024, following a string of extraordinary performances during India’s tour of Australia. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the accolade on Tuesday, recognizing Bumrah’s dominance over world-class opposition.
Bumrah edged out tough competition from Australia’s Pat Cummins and South Africa’s Dane Paterson to claim the award. Over three grueling Test matches, Bumrah spearheaded India’s bowling attack, scalping an impressive 22 wickets at an exceptional average of 14.22, reaffirming his stature as one of the finest bowlers in world cricket.
The Adelaide Test marked the beginning of Bumrah’s stellar run, where his four-wicket haul curtailed Australia’s lead in the first innings, keeping India in contention. His heroics continued in Brisbane, where a devastating six-wicket spell in the first innings and three more wickets in the second innings left Australia’s batting line-up in tatters. Despite rain curtailing the match, Bumrah’s performance ensured India remained alive in the series.
Bumrah’s brilliance was on full display in the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. He picked up four wickets in the first innings and followed it with a five-wicket haul in the second, dismissing Australia for 234. However, his lone-warrior efforts couldn’t prevent a 184-run defeat as India’s batting order faltered.
The tour was a challenging one for India, but Bumrah stood tall, consistently delivering match-defining spells. His remarkable achievements during the series included reaching the milestone of 200 Test wickets, becoming the fourth-fastest bowler to achieve the feat in terms of balls bowled. He also etched his name in history as the first bowler to claim 200 Test wickets at an average below 20.
For his exceptional contributions, which earned him the Player of the Series title as well, Jasprit Bumrah was crowned the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December 2024.
(Inputs from ANI)
