Bumrah Reflects on Childhood Heroes After Receiving Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy

Synopsis

In an emotional reflection, India's pace star Jasprit Bumrah discusses his achievements in 2024, including winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. He shares insights on his incredible performances and the surreal feeling of being honored in the same way as his childhood heroes.

Key Takeaways

Jasprit Bumrah won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
He topped the wicket-taking charts in Tests with 71 wickets.
Bumrah played a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup victory.
He praised fellow pacer Mohammed Shami for his return from injury.
Bumrah reflected on the memorable year filled with valuable experiences.

Dubai, Feb 26 (NationPress) India's pace sensation Jasprit Bumrah, who concluded a remarkable 2024 by receiving his ICC Awards and Team of the Year caps in Dubai, has shared insights on his historic performance for India across all formats and his victory of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year. He expressed that it feels surreal to achieve an accolade once held by his childhood heroes.

Bumrah was recognized as the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year, ICC Men’s Test Player of the Year, and was included in both the ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year and ICC T20I Team of the Year. The 31-year-old fast bowler received his prestigious ICC honors just before India’s highly anticipated Champions Trophy match against Pakistan.

“It feels incredibly rewarding. As a kid, I watched many of my childhood heroes earn this (Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy) award. It’s always a privilege to receive such an honor,” Bumrah stated to ICC after accepting his awards.

In 2024, Bumrah led the wicket-taking charts in Tests and played a pivotal role in guiding India to their first ICC silverware in 11 years during a stellar campaign at the Men’s T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the USA. His dominant year in the longest format saw him take 71 wickets at an astounding average of just 14.92 – a personal best and 19 more than his closest competitor.

Leading India’s bowling attack with magnificent performances against South Africa, England, and Bangladesh, Bumrah concluded a remarkable year by being the top wicket-taker in an exciting Border-Gavaskar series in Australia.

Bumrah’s outstanding displays extended to India’s victorious Men’s T20 World Cup journey, where he claimed 15 wickets at an average of merely 8.26 and boasted an impressive economy rate of just 4.17.

Reflecting on the past year, Bumrah remarked, “The T20 World Cup, which we clinched, will always hold a special place in my memory. There were certainly many lessons learned throughout the year. We played extensive Test cricket and gained various experiences, so yes, I'm very content, and I hope even greater things follow.”

Despite being ruled out of India's Champions Trophy squad due to a back injury sustained during the Australian tour earlier this year, Bumrah spoke about the return of his fellow pace teammate, Mohammed Shami, who made a successful comeback from a long-term injury and starred in India’s opening victory against Bangladesh with a five-wicket haul.

“I'm truly delighted for him. He has faced injury challenges for quite some time. It takes its toll. However, he has remained optimistic and positive. He looks great; his skills are intact, and with more playtime, his confidence will undoubtedly build, helping the team progress further,” Bumrah shared.