Jasprit Bumrah crowned Wisden's Leading Men's Cricketer in the World

India’s ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah on Tuesday, was named the Leading Men’s Cricketer in the World for the year 2024 by Wisden, thanks to his consistent performances across formats.

Bumrah earned the recognition following a remarkable 2024 season in both red-ball and white-ball formats.

The right-arm pacer began the year with 19 wickets at an average of 16 in four Tests against England.

He ended it with 32 at 13 in five in a five-match away series against Australia, the most by an Indian seamer in a Test series.

He also took 11 wickets against Bangladesh in four innings.

Overall, he finished 2024 with 71 Test wickets, no one had ever taken more in a calendar year at a lower average than his 14.92.

Wisden editor Lawrence Booth hailed Bumrah as ‘quite simply the star of the year.’

Reflecting on his performances during India’s Test series in Australia, Booth wrote, “He was so lethal, so uniquely difficult to face — a staccato of limbs somehow forming a symphony — that runs scored off him should have counted double.”

Despite Bumrah’s brilliance, Australia secured a 3-1 victory in the five-Test series, which concluded in early January 2025.

During the enthralling series, he also become the first bowler to reach 200 Test wickets with an average below 20.

Wisden, published annually since 1864 and renowned as a ‘bible’ of cricket, also described Bumrah’s unique bowling action as a blend of grace and menace.

In Rohit Sharma’s absence during the Perth Test Australia last year, Bumrah also showcased leadership skills, leading the two-time World Test Championship (WTC) finalists to a historic 295-run victory.

On the other hand, Mandhana, the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team, was named the Leading Women’s Cricketer in the World.

She scored 1,659 runs across all formats in 2024 — the highest by any female cricketer in a calendar year.

West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran was named the leading T20I Cricketer in the world for 2024.