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Follow Us2024 belonged to the young left-handed opener from Mumbai. Jaiswal ended 2024 as the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket, smacking 1478 runs in 15 games at a stunning average of 54.74. He registered three centuries in this period, converting two of those into double tons and one into 150.
He aced the home conditions but there were some doubts over his credentials outside India. But Jaiswal showed everyone why he is so highly-rated by scoring 359 runs @ 51.29 in the first four Tests in Australia. Jaiswal has already become India’s most reliable batter in red-ball cricket and he is only 18-Test old.
The 26-year-old from Sri Lanka completely owned red-ball cricket in 2024. 1049 runs in nine games at an average of 74.93, studded with three fifties and five centuries - the left-handed middle-order batter ended the year with the highest average amongst every batter who played Test cricket in 2024.
It’s not that Mendis only did well in home conditions. He hit four hundreds and one fifty in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh but also did extremely well in England, slamming 267 runs @ 53.4, including two fifties and a ton. He did have a middling series in South Africa, but even there, he managed to produce a couple of fighting cameos.
Mendis is yet to prove his worth in white-ball formats but the spin-bowling all-rounder has already become Sri Lanka’s main man in Test cricket.
One of New Zealand’s greatest fast bowlers, Tim Southee, announced his retirement from Test cricket this year, but in O'Rourke, the Black Caps have found someone who can carry forward the former’s legacy. The 23-year-old made his Test debut in February and ended the year with 36 wickets @ 24.80 in 10 encounters.
The right-arm fast bowler, who is tall and well-built, averaged 27.6 in five home Tests, but his numbers in away Tests were even more impressive. In five overseas Tests, which came in Sri Lanka and India, O'Rourke claimed 15 wickets @ 20.9. His seven-wicket haul in Bengaluru helped New Zealand win the first Test, who then went on to whitewash India in India.
There were only two bowlers who picked up more than 50 Test wickets in 2024. Jasprit Bumrah is first on the list, and then we have got Atkinson. The tearaway quick featured in four series this year, including one in England, and not once he averaged more than 27.8.
In 2024, Atkinson picked up 52 wickets in 11 Tests at a stunning average of 22.2. Two four-wicket and three five-wicket hauls - Atkinson went wicketless only twice in 21 innings.
Oh, by the way, he also hit a century at Lord's! 118 off 115 - batting at No.8.
Bangladesh’s fast-bowling department is on the rise and Mahmud and Rana have been two of their centerpieces. In 2024, Bangladesh played only two of their 10 Tests outside Asia, but even then the two aforementioned seamers managed to leave a mark. Mahmud claimed 30 wickets @ 28.3, while Rana picked up 20 @ 36.5.
The latter’s average is slightly on the higher side, but with his height and pace, the 22-year-old has already delivered a couple of match-winning performances. His four-wicket haul helped Bangladesh beat Pakistan in Rawalpindi, and then a five-fer gave them another impressive victory in the West Indies.
The two youngsters didn’t play much white-ball cricket in 2024, but it won’t be too long before they regularly start featuring in the other two formats.
The 22-year-old from Pakistan ended 2024 in some style. The young batter showed flashes of brilliance in red-ball cricket, but in the two white-ball formats Ayub forced everyone to sit up and take notice.
Especially in ODIs, Ayub smashed 515 runs in nine innings at an average of 64.38 and a strike rate of 105.5. In his last five innings, the batter hit three centuries. Even in the 20-over format, Ayub ended the year with scores of 36* off 18, 31 off 15 and 98* off 57.
He has well and truly arrived in international cricket, and 2025 might turn out to be his year.
The South African made his international debut in 2022, but it was in 2024 that he set the world on fire. With an average of 48.6 in ODIs and 35.92 in T20Is, Stubbs played quite a few important knocks for South Africa in white-ball cricket.
The right-hander even made his Test debut in 2024, scoring 500 runs @ 35.71, including two centuries. 106 vs Bangladesh and 122 vs Sri Lanka - Stubbs did his part to help the Proteas qualify for their first World Test Championship final.
