Bumrah named captain of Cricket Australia’s Test team of year, Jaiswal too makes it

PTI, Jan 1, 2025, 9:25 AM IST

Sydney: Jasprit Bumrah was on Tuesday recognised for his splendid performances in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as Cricket Australia named the Indian pace spearhead as the captain of its Test team of the year, which also features Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Bumrah has been the best bowler in Test cricket in 2024 with 71 wickets from 13 matches at an average of 14.92 and a strike rate of 30.16.

“One of the greatest calendar years by a bowler ever; not since Dale Steyn’s 74-wicket 2008 has a pace bowler been as prolific and not since Imran Khan’s 1982 (62 victims at 13.29) has one taken them at a better rate,” CA, the game’s governing body in the country, said of Bumrah.

“Yes, he has torched Australia amid of the greatest tours by a visiting quick of all-time, but he also cleaned up England with 19 poles in four Tests on unhelpful home surfaces as every other seamer went around the park.”

“As the only member of this side to have skippered their team in 2024 (leading India to victory in Perth) Bumrah also gets the captaincy reins – a job he could well see more of in future,” CA added.

The peerless fast bowler has been the best bowler in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy with 30 wickets in just four Tests.

Apart from Bumrah, Jaiswal has been picked as the opener for his exploits with the bat in the year.

Jaiswal finished the year as the second-highest scorer with 1,478 runs from 15 matches (29 innings) at an average of 54.74 with nine fifties and three centuries.

For Jaiswal, CA wrote, “India’s bright young batting star was only 22 for all but four days of 2024 but played with the composure and class of a veteran.”

“Jaiswal’s back-to-back double centuries in February ensured a home Test series win for India over England, while the left-hander’s stunning 161 in Perth was also decisive.”

“His runs tally is the most by an Indian opener in a calendar year and his 36 sixes is a new worldwide benchmark for a calendar year.” Meanwhile, Australia captain Pat Cummins failed to make it to the XI despite enjoying a good year with 37 wickets from nine matches at an average of 24.02 with two five-wicket hauls.

Alex Carey and Josh Hazlewood were the two Australians in the team, while the others included England’s Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Harry Brook, New Zealand’s Rachin Ravindra and Matt Henry, Sri Lanka’s Kamindu Mendis and South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj.