ICC names nominees for Men's Test Player of the Year, Ravi Ashwin included

This year witnessed quite a few marquee events in the game. The ICC World Test Championship Final and the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 are two of the major events that 2021 unfolded. Apart from this numerous bilateral series were also played throughout this year and it thus garners the audacity of the ICC Awards 2021.

ICC has now revealed the nominations for the Men’s Test Player of the Year. It includes four of the potential names who dominated the proceedings in Test cricket this year around. Joe Root, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kyle Jamieson, and Dimuth Karunaratne have been shortlisted as the nominations for the Test Player of the Year.

Joe Root displayed sublime form in 2021 and stood out with his impactful performances. The England Test skipper became only the third player in history to pile up 1700 runs in Test cricket in a calendar year. Mohammad Yousuf and Sir Vivian Richards are the only two players who stand ahead of him.

He looked in fine touch in both the home and away conditions against both the pacers and the spinners. His belligerent knocks in Galle against Sri Lanka, against India in Chennai, and against India again at Lord’s are some of the impressive batting displays of the modern era.

Ravichandran Ashwin has become one of the pivotal cogs of team India’s wheel in Test cricket over the years now. He has emerged as one of the greatest match-winners for the team putting up fabulous shows with both the bat and the ball.

His all-rounder abilities have come to the team’s rescue on many occasions. From the Sydney Test against Australia to the recently concluded home series against New Zealand, Ashwin has blown the trumpet of his repertoire scalping 52 wickets from eight matches this year.

Kyle Jamieson has become the crucial aspect of New Zealand in the red-ball format ever since his debut. The pacer chimed in as one of the most promising fast bowling talents in the world this year picking up 27 wickets in 5 matches.

He displayed his prowess in the inaugural final of the WTC and then also impressed on the flat decks of India. He also became the fastest New Zealander to reach 50 wickets wherein he achieved this feat from just 19 Tests.

Dimuth Karunaratne chipped in 902 runs in 7 matches at 69.38 this year which includes as many as four centuries. The Sri Lankan Test skipper left no stone unturned to lead the team from the front and is currently regarded as the best opener in Test cricket.