Jasprit Bumrah won the International Cricket Council (ICC) Player of the Month award for December on Tuesday, beating Australia’s Pat Cummins and South Africa’s Dane Paterson.
The bowler, who took 32 wickets in 5 Tests in Australia, became the fourth-fastest player to reach 200 Test wickets based on balls bowled. He also made history as the first bowler to take 200 Test wickets with an average under 20.
The ace bowler was the top performer for India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT), taking 22 wickets with an average of 14.22 in December. He began the month with a strong performance in the 2nd Test in Adelaide, where he took 4 wickets and stopped Australia from scoring freely.
A record-breaking performance in December earns a prolific pacer the ICC Men's Player of the Month award 🏅
More ⬇https://t.co/hJEvi7Ycwg pic.twitter.com/lQHGmxhDwS
— ICC (@ICC) January 14, 2025
He then continued his great form by taking 9 wickets in the Brisbane and Melbourne Test matches, playing a key role in helping India perform better than expected in Australia.
In a series where India’s batting struggled many times, Bumrah stood out, becoming the top wicket-taker for the team. However, his efforts couldn’t lead India to a win as they lost in Adelaide, Sydney, and Melbourne and drew the match in Brisbane.
Bumrah’s New Year has started difficult. The fast bowler was taken to the hospital for scans during the first innings of the Sydney Test after bowling just one over in the second session on Day 2 because of back pain. Bumrah didn’t come back and was missing during Australia’s chase.
Meanwhile, the fast bowler is likely to miss the group stage of next month’s Champions Trophy because of his injury. Bumrah, who has swelling in his back, has been told to go to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru where his recovery will be watched closely.
Bumrah’s absence from the group stage matches of the upcoming mega event is a big blow for the Men in Blue. The pacer is in great form and was the top wicket-taker against the strong Australian team. India will miss Bumrah’s services, as he has always stepped up in pressure situations for his team.
The selectors are deciding whether to include Bumrah in the main 15-player squad or put him on the reserve list for the tournament. The Champions Trophy, featuring the top eight ODI teams from around the world, starts on February 19. The matches will be held in Karachi, Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Dubai for India’s games.
Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
