Historic! Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian pacer to win ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award

Jasprit Bumrah (Pic: AFP)

Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was on Monday named ICC men's Test Cricketer of the Year for excelling in both home and away conditions and amassing an astonishing 71 wickets in 13 matches.

Returning to the longest format in late 2023 after recovering from a back injury, the 31-year-old averaged a 'ridiculous' 14.92 through the year while also setting multiple records.

"Bumrah was the standout bowler in the world in 2024, excelling in both home and away conditions and proving a key contributor in keeping India in contention in the ICC World Test Championship standings," the ICC stated in a press release.

The right-arm quick was instrumental in India's series wins against England and Bangladesh at home, and he also rose to the occasion in away conditions in South Africa and Australia.

The top-ranked bowler in ICC Men's Test Rankings will be seen in action during the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy, which will start from February 19 onwards.

Bumrah, currently nursing a back issue, could miss out on the matches during the home ODI series against England, starting from February 6 onwards.

In a challenging tour for the Indian team in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Bumrah emerged as the lone warrior for India consistently delivering match-defining performances and being the leading wicket-taker in the series with 31 scalps to his name. His exceptional contributions not only earned him the Player of the Series award but also cemented his reputation as one of the finest bowlers in world cricket.