Sir Garfield Sobers England has the best run-scorers. Australia has an exciting left-handed batsman. India has a fast-bowling star. All of them are great nominees for the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.
We look at their work over the course of the year.
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Harry Brook (England)
1100 runs from 12 Tests, average 55.00, Highest Score 317
The year that was
Harry Brook emerged as one of England’s most reliable performers in the longest format in the year gone by.
The 22-year-old not only scored a heap of runs, but was also a flagbearer of England’s quickfire brand of cricket.
Brook played a big role in the home series wins against West Indies and Sri Lanka. He raised the bar even higher with his performances in away games.
The right-handed batter piled back-to-back centuries against New Zealand, helping England win their first Test series in the country since 2008.
His consistent performances helped the 22-year-old dethrone teammate Joe Root atop the ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings.
But his best innings came in the sub-continent, guiding England to a mammoth win against Pakistan.
Memorable performance
During a high-scoring match in Multan, Brook achieved his first-ever triple century, scoring an impressive 317 runs off 322 deliveries. The 22-year-old formed a remarkable partnership with Joe Root, contributing to a staggering 453-run collaboration. This partnership propelled England to their third-largest total in Test cricket history, ultimately leading to a victory by an innings and 47 runs, marking their sixth win in the country. Brook's outstanding performance earned him the title of player of the match for his remarkable innings.
The duo shouldered England to what was their third-highest total in Test cricket, and eventually cap off a win – their sixth in the country – by an innings and 47 runs. Brook was adjudged player of the match for his spectacular innings.
Ricky Ponting on Jasprit Bumrah’s status as the game’s greatest | The ICC Review
Jasprit Bumrah (India)
71 wickets from 13 Tests, average 14.92, BBI 6/45
15 wickets from 8 T20Is, average 8.26, economy 4.17
The year that was
The Indian fast bowler had an inspiring run in all formats for India. He helped his team win many important matches, including their second ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title.
Bumrah took 15 wickets in eight matches. This included a few in the final against South Africa. India remained unbeaten in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
The right-arm quick also boasts incredible numbers in the longest format this year. From 13 Test outings, Bumrah notched a sizable tally of 71 wickets.
Be it home or away, Bumrah thrived under different conditions and capped off his year putting in an incredible shift during India’s Test tour of Australia.
Memorable performance
As the captain wearing the armband in the Perth Test against Australia, Bumrah led India to an early lead in the five-match series. After the visitors were bowled out for 150, the skipper dominated the Australian batting lineup, securing a remarkable five-wicket haul and solidifying India’s lead in the first innings.
With the visitors dismissed for 150, the skipper ran through the Australian batting to claim a five-wicket haul and establish India’s advantage in the first innings.
In the second innings, Bumrah added to his tally, finishing the Test as player of the match with eight wickets.
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Joe Root (England)
1556 runs from 17 Tests, average 55.57, Highest Score 262
The year that was
Adding to his impeccable legacy as a Test batter, Joe Root climbed new heights in 2024. The England veteran finished with over 1000 Test runs in a calendar year for the fifth time in his career.
The former England skipper surpassed a plethora of greats to have the joint-fifth highest century haul in the longest format – 36, alongside Rahul Dravid.
He also maintained a long reign as the number one in ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, scoring an impressive six Test hundreds and another five fifty plus score to his name.
While there was a plethora of outstanding knocks, manufactured across different conditions, one in particularl stood out.
Memorable performance
Flaunting his diverse range of shots, Root decimated the Pakistan bowling attack enroute to his sixth Test double century in Multan.
Root's partnership with Harry Brook matched Ricky Ponting and Sachin Tendulkar's 200-run milestone. This strong teamwork helped secure a great win away from home.
Every Travis Head boundary at T20 World Cup 2024
Travis Head (Australia)
608 runs from 9 Tests, average 40.53, Highest Score 152
539 runs from 15 T20Is, SR 178.47
The year that was
Australia’s trump card with the bat and their big-match performer in 2023 continued his purple patch with stellar performances this year.
Showing an aggressive style of batting, the left-handed player scored runs quickly in the shortest format. He finished as one of the top run-scorers at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
In the Test arena, Head was vital to Australia’s push for defending their ICC World Test Championship title.
The left-handed batter closed the year leading the run-scoring charts in the five-Test series against India at home.
Memorable performance
Trailing 1-0 in the Border-Gavaskar Series, after India’s dominant display in Perth, Head fashioned a classic counter-attacking knock during the second Test in Adelaide.
Compiling 140 runs off 141 deliveries, Head took the attack to the Indian bowlers in the pink-ball Test, propelling Australia to a 337, seizing a 157-run advantage in the first innings.
Laced with 17 fours and four sixes, Head’s innings helped the hosts square the series and was named as Player of the Match.
