Joe Root Named ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of The Year Award

ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of The Year 2021: England Test skipper Joe Root has named ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of The Year 2021. The 31-year-old scored 1,709 runs in 15 matches in 2021.

He achieved the third-highest total on record in a calendar year. With only former Pakistan player Mohammad Yousuf and West Indies Viv Richards ahead of him.

Be it Asia or conditions back at home and against a range of bowling. Root has almost conquered all with some sublime innings.

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His knocks in Galle against Sri Lanka, and against India in both Chennai and Lord’s are some of the finest witnessed in the modern era and will be spoken of highly for a long, long time.

He hasn’t been shabby with the ball as well, chipping in with a handy 14 wickets, including a five-for in Ahmedabad.

“I am incredibly proud to receive this award,” said the 31-year-old, only the second Englishman to win the accolade after Alastair Cook in 2011.

“I am very humbled to be in the same breath as a number of wonderful players around the world and it means a huge amount.”

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He added: “If there was one hundred that really sticks out it would probably be at Chennai against India, the first Test match of that series (he scored 218).

“With it being my 100th game it is something that will live long in the memory.”

Despite Root’s personal achievements, England had a poor year in Test cricket, winning just four out of their 15 matches.

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They lost the Ashes in Australia — where Root failed to score a century — and also lost series against India and New Zealand.

New Zealand bowler Kyle Jamieson, Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne and India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were the other nominees for the award.

Memorable performance

Root’s 218 in the first Test of the four-match series against India in Chennai was a masterclass in batting. He swatted away a quality bowling attack, both pace, and spin, with utter ease. This continued his form from the series in Sri Lanka, where he was again in sensational touch.

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