The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday, December 28, revealed the nominations for the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year for 2021. The list features England captain Joe Root, Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, New Zealand’s all-rounder Kylie Jamieson, and Sri Lanka’s Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne.
Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India’s greatest match-winners in the longest format, reasserted his status as one of the best spinners in the world in 2021. Apart from his ball-handling prowess, Ashwin also proved to be a valuable asset with the bat.
He clinched 52 wickets in eight matches at an average of 16.23. 337 runs at 28.08 including one century. Aswin was a major contributor in helping India win it big in the Border Gavaskar Trophy. The Sydney Test against Australia kicked off the year on a positive note. Ashwin bowled a precise line and length with the ball before embarking on a methodical 128-ball 29* and, together with Hanuma Vihari, guiding India to a historic 1-1 draw.
During the home series against England, he scalped 32 wickets in four matches at 14.72, while also contributing 189 runs with the bat. He was named the Player of the Series for his exploits. He also scored his fifth Test century with a brilliant knock of 106 in the series.
He picked up 14 wickets in two matches at 11.36 during the home series against New Zealand, while also chipping in with a dependable batting in the Kanpur Test.
Joe Root’s 1708 runs in 15 matches, including six centuries, earned him the nomination in the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year. Root has been phenomenal with the stick in both the home turf and overseas soil. He added another accolade to his name after registering third-most Test runs in history in a calendar year on Tuesday, December 28, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
He was especially exceptional in Galle against Sri Lanka, against India in Chennai and against the same opponents India at Lord’s. The English skipper smashed 218 in the first Test of the four-match series against India in Chennai, which is among his finest knocks. With the ball too he has been pretty handy, scalping 14 wickets with one five-for in the India tour.
New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson grabbed 27 wickets in 5 matches at 17.51 and registered 105 runs at 17.50 to earn his place in the ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year. He played a pivotal role in leading New Zealand to victory in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship. He scalped seven wickets and contributed 21 runs in the first innings in Southampton for which he claimed the Player of the Match award. Against India, he picked up six wickets in the two matches.
Sri Lankan Test skipper Dimuth Karunaratne recorded 902 runs in seven matches at 69.38, including four centuries. His Test exploits are laced with a century in Johannesburg against South Africa, two centuries against Bangladesh in two matches in Pallekele, including a double ton, and a brilliant century against West Indies in Galle.
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