Year of Bumrah: India pacer is ICC's best

He is only the fifth Indian to be Cricketer of the Year after Dravid (2004), Tendulkar (2010), Ashwin (2016) and Kohli (2017, 2018)

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Fast bowling is difficult but throughout 2024, Jasprit Bumrah made it look easy. He would amble in, fox the batters with the red ball and the white and take wickets even when others were struggling to do the same.

He did things that perhaps only he could in masterful displays of bowling in different conditions and formats.

The year saw telling performances by Travis Head, Joe Root and Harry Brook too but none could match the overall brilliance of the Indian pace sensation. In recognition for his efforts, Bumrah has been honoured with the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards.

"I feel really good," Bumrah told the ICC. "As a youngster, I have seen my childhood heroes winning this award, so yeah, very happy to be at the receiving end.

"Winning the T20 World Cup was really special, and the memories that we made after that are going to be close to me forever. So, I will always pick us winning the T20 World Cup first."