Dubai
International Cricket Council on Monday named England's Joe Root as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year 2021 for his consistent performance in the longest format. The 31-year-old amassed 1708 runs in 15 matches, which included six centuries, in 2021. He was in sublime form as he became only the third player in the history of the game to aggregate over 1700 runs in Test cricket in a calendar year, joining the elite club of Mohammad Yousuf and Vivian Richards ahead of him. Root's 218 in the first Test of the four-match series against India in Chennai was a masterclass in batting.
He tackled a quality bowling attack, both pace and spin, with ease and continued his form from the series in Sri Lanka. Commenting on receiving the honour, England Test captain Root said, "I'm honoured to have won the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of The Year. To beat the best players in red-ball cricket to this award is some achievement". "It has been my best 12 months with the bat in what has been a challenging period for the England Test team. From a personal point of view, I felt in good form and relaxed at the crease. "My hope for 2022 is that I can build on my individual performances for what promises to be a crucial 12-month campaign for the England Men's Test team," he added.