For the second consecutive year, Jasprit Bumrah has been nominated for ICC Player of the Month.

With 22 wickets in his three Test matches in December, the top-ranked Test bowler in the world concluded the year on a high note.

After continuing to bowl destructively during India's attempts in the captivating Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia, fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was nominated for ICC Player of the Month for the second consecutive year. On Tuesday, the ICC announced the shortlist of candidates for the December 2024 Men's and Women's Player of the Month titles.

With 22 wickets in his three Test matches in December, the top-ranked Test bowler in the world concluded the year on a high note. As Australia's confidence grew throughout the series, Bumrah was the main obstacle, taking four wickets for 61 in Adelaide, six wickets for 76 in Brisbane, and nine wickets in Melbourne, which set a new record for the most rating points ever by an Indian bowler. In addition to winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year in 2024, Bumrah will be aiming to earn his second Player of the Month award.

Following strong bowling performances, Australia's victorious captain Pat Cummins also made it onto the shortlist as the team won Adelaide and Melbourne in December. Dane Paterson of South Africa completes the lineup. With 13 wickets in two Test matches, he made his country the first to earn a spot in the WTC Final at Lord's in June.

In the Test matches in December, Australia's captain led an incredible comeback from a 1-0 series deficit with 144 runs and 17 wickets at 17.64. Following Perth's disappointment, the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year from the previous year tore through the Indian batting order in Adelaide's second innings, taking five wickets for fifty-seven to secure a ten-wicket victory from which they thrived. His best moment was probably in Melbourne, where he removed India's top three batsmen as Australia triumphed by 184 runs and grabbed the lead in the exciting series. After his maiden innings of 49, he helped his team rebound from 91 for six with crucial lower order runs (41).

After taking 13 wickets during a successful comeback to the Proteas Test team, the South African seamer receives his maiden nomination for the ICC Men's Player of the Month award. Recalled for the second Test match against Sri Lanka in Gqeberha, Paterson promptly returned the favor with a Player of the Match performance. He claimed his first Test five-for in his first innings return of five for 71, taking off Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, and Lahiru Kumara in a single over.

Among women, Smriti Mandhana was nominated.
Among the candidates for the ICC Women's Player of the Month title are Australia, South Africa, and India.

Smriti Mandhana, an Indian batswoman who is considered a talisman, hit a lot of runs in December, both at home against the West Indies and in Australia. Following his remarkable wicket-taking performances in South Africa's Test match against England at Bloemfontein, Nonkululeko Mlaba receives his maiden nomination. After dominating with the bat and ball throughout the month, taking crucial wickets and smashing back-to-back hundreds against India and New Zealand, Australia's all-around phenomenon Annabel Sutherland is the last name on the shortlist.