Jasprit Bumrah , Ravindra Jadeja and Yashasvi Jaiswal found a place in the ICC’s Test Team of the Year 2024 that featured four Englishmen with Australian Pat Cummins as its captain. The team also had two New Zealanders, including the redoubtable Kane Williamson. Cummins was the lone Australian to make the all-star XI. Bumrah was nothing short of magical in 2024, dominating every team and every batter he bowled to.
He became the first bowler to average under 20 with a minimum of 200 wickets in Test cricket, solidifying his place in history. In total, Bumrah took 71 wickets in 2024 at an average of 14.92, finishing as the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket for the year. Thirty two of these scalps came in the recent Border-Gavaskar series against Australia, which India lost 1-3.
He began the year with a stellar performance against England, taking 19 wickets in four matches, including a remarkable nine-wicket haul in Visakhapatnam. At home against Bangladesh, he further extended his tally with 11 wickets in just two games. Although his outing against New Zealand was subdued, where he picked up three wickets, it was against Australia that Bumrah truly cemented his legacy as one of the greatest bowlers of all time. Meanwhile, Jadeja, scored 527 runs in 2024 at an average of 29.27 and picked up 48 wickets at an impressive average of 24.29.
Jaiswal established himself as a premier Test opener and a standout figure in Indian batting during 2024. After a challenging series in South Africa, he made an impressive comeback in the home series against England, amassing a staggering 712 runs. This included two double centuries and three fifties, showcasing his dominance. The 23-year-old left-handed batter continued his fine form with three half-centuries in four innings as India thrashed Bangladesh at home. He was also one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing series for India, as New Zealand achieved a historic whitewash on Indian soil.
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