New Delhi: India’s premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah was on Tuesday named as Leading Men’s Cricketer in the World while prolific batter Smriti Mandhana grabbed the honour in the women’s category in the 2025 edition of Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack.
The two Indian players were honoured for their stand-out performances last year.
The 31-year-old Bumrah picked up 71 Test wickets in season 2024 at an average of 14.92, the most by any bowler with such an economy in a single year. He became the first Test bowler in history to claim 200 wickets at an average of less than 20.
In the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia, Bumrah almost single-handedly carried India’s attack with 32 wickets at an average of 13.06.
At the T20 World Cup, he was named Player of the Tournament for his 15 wickets at an economy rate of just 4.17, leading India to their first ICC trophy since 2013.
Women’s team senior batter Smriti Mandhana made it an India double as she was named as Wisden’s Leading Women’s Cricketer in the World.
The 28-year-old Mandhana scored 1659 runs across formats in 2024 — the most by a woman cricketer in a calendar year of international cricket — including four ODI hundreds, which was another record.
She capped her efforts with a second Test century — 149 — in a 10-wicket win over South Africa.
Mandhana became the first Indian woman since the inception of the award to earn the title twice. She had already earned the coveted honour in 2018 also.
West Indian Nicholas Pooran was named as the Leading T20 Player in the World.
