India’s right-arm pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah had a fantasy year in 2024 and was compensated with honors such as the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year and ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year. He also earned himself a spot in both the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year and ICC T20I Team of the Year.
Bumrah played a pivotal role in India’s T20 World Cup win, for which he was named Player of the Tournament. His contributions were crucial to a 4-1 home victory against England in a five-match Test series at the start of the year, and he led wicket-taker in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
But a fifth and final Test injury that was collected during India’s tour of Australia in January has excluded Bumrah from the ongoing Champions Trophy. Mohammed Shami has led the Indian fast bowlers in Bumrah’s place. Shami had also struggled with his fitness prior to regaining international cricket successfully in January.
Shami kicked off his Champions Trophy campaign with an impressive five-wicket haul, and Bumrah expressed optimism about his fellow pacer’s progress. “I’m really happy for him. He’s had an injury struggle for so long, and it takes a toll. But he’s been very positive. The more he plays, the more confidence he will gain, and hopefully, he’ll help the team go further,” Bumrah shared with ICC.
Bumrah was present at India’s high-stakes clash with Pakistan in Dubai last Sunday, where he received his ICC awards before the match. Reflecting on his achievements, he noted, “It feels really good. As a child, I’d seen some of my childhood heroes win this award. It’s always a privilege to receive such an honor. This year brought many learnings, with a lot of Test cricket and diverse experiences.”
Enjoying the vibrant atmosphere in Dubai, Bumrah wished that the upcoming matches in the tournament would be tougher. “The buzz is there. The tournament is coming after a long gap, and the buzz is unquestionable. The start has been promising, and hopefully, the matches will only get better with even more rugged competition,” he said.
