The shortlist for the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2024 is a mix of established stars and emerging talent, with Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis making a notable appearance.
Kamindu Mendis (Sri Lanka)
1049 marks in 9 tests, average 74.92
Mendis, Sri Lanka’s leading middle-order player, crossed the 1000 mark and scored an average of 74.92 runs, giving an outstanding performance of the year. His consistency, both at home and abroad, helped Sri Lanka secure key series wins against New Zealand, England and Bangladesh, keeping their hopes of a maiden ICC World Test Championship final alive.
Mendis became the third fastest player to score 1000 Test runs, equaling Sir Donald Bradman’s record of reaching the milestone in 13 innings. His greatest performance was in the series against New Zealand where he scored a match-winning 182* in Galle as Sri Lanka won the series 2-0.
Other Nominees:
- Joe Root (England): With 1556 runs in 17 Tests, Root continued his impressive run, including a best of 262 against Pakistan. His six centuries and multiple knocks were key to England’s success in several tournaments.
- Jasprit Bumrah (India): The Indian pacer took 71 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 14.92, including a match-winning performance against Australia in Perth. His captaincy in Rohit Sharma’s absence further cemented his place as the outstanding bowler of the year.
- Harry Brook (England): Brook was England’s breakout star, scoring 1100 runs at an average of 55.00, scoring a maiden triple century and helping England to their first series win in New Zealand since 2008.
