Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana Named Wisden's Leading Cricketers in the World

India's cricket heroes Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana have been awarded the coveted titles of Wisden's Leading Cricketers in the World for 2025. Bumrah, who is renowned for his brilliant fast bowling, has been awarded the Leading Men's Cricketer title while Mandhana wins the title for the Leading Women's Cricketer. Both players have performed outstandingly in 2024, dominating all formats and gaining recognition from the cricket fraternity.

Jasprit Bumrah, India's go-to bowler across all formats, had a phenomenal year in 2024. He finished the year with a record-making achievement, being the first Test bowler in cricket history to have 200 wickets at less than a 20-run average. Wisden editor Lawrence Booth termed Bumrah "quite simply the star of the year." His bowling was outstanding, picking up 71 Test wickets at a sub-15 average. Bumrah's display was most spectacular in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where he nearly dominated India's bowling in Australia, picking up 32 wickets at a mind-boggling average of 13.06. His performances during the 2024 T20 World Cup, in which he played a pivotal part in the Indian victory, reaffirmed his position as one of the best bowlers of world cricket.

Bumrah's bowling was labeled as lethal and distinctive, and Wisden complimented his capacity to dominate the game through his tireless pace and accuracy. His performances were so dominating that they earned him comparisons with the best bowlers in the history of the game. His numbers and influence on games have established him as a force to be feared in international cricket.

Conversely, Smriti Mandhana experienced a record-breaking 2024 with her women's cricket. She was awarded the Leading Women's Cricketer in the World following a phenomenal 2024 when she scored a total of 1659 runs in all formats, a record that marked a new milestone in women's cricket in a year. This comprised four centuries in One-Day Internationals, another feat that left her in the record books. Mandhana also posted a stunning 149 in a Test against South Africa, increasing her list of achievements. Her stability with the bat and pressure-performing skills have turned her into one of the prominent faces in women's cricket.

Apart from Bumrah and Mandhana, other cricketers were also honored in the 2025 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack edition. Nicholas Pooran was awarded the Leading T20 Player, which pointed to his high level of competence in the shortest form of the game. On the other hand, the Five Cricketers of the Year, a select award reserved for those who have performed well in the English home season, included players such as Gus Atkinson, Jamie Smith, and Dan Worrall. These individuals were key in Surrey's triumph in claiming their third successive County Championship title. Atkinson, in fact, became one of the stars of the year with some exceptional performances for England, such as picking 12 wickets on debut against the West Indies and a brilliant hundred against Sri Lanka.

Hampshire's Liam Dawson and England's left-arm spinner Sophie Ecclestone were also awarded for their outstanding performances in county cricket. Dawson's all-round performance with bat and ball was appreciated, whereas Ecclestone dominated in the women's game with strong bowling statistics. She performed exceptionally well in England's undefeated home summer despite a difficult winter and became the nation's top T20 international wicket-taker.

New Zealand's Mitchell Santner received the Wisden Trophy for best performance of the year. Santner was an important part of his team in its comprehensive victory against India by taking 13 wickets during the second Test at Pune and ensuring New Zealand a historic series win in India, 3-0, the first for India at home since 2012.

To go along with these accomplishments, the 2025 Wisden Cricketers' Almanack also honors two all-time greats of English cricket who died in 2024. Derek Underwood and Graham Thorpe were both fondly remembered for what they contributed to the game. Thorpe, who tragically died by his own hand, was particularly remembered for his own mental health problems, as detailed by his widow Amanda Thorpe. She talked about the hardships he had encountered and emphasized learning about mental illness and eliminating stigma surrounding it.

As the world of cricket keeps changing, Wisden's acknowledgment of these players highlights the sheer talent and hard work that have transformed the game in 2024. With performances that have redefined standards and broken new records, Bumrah and Mandhana have earned their place in cricket history in every right sense. Their success will inspire generations to come of cricketers, and they will be true icons in the sport.