Flashback 2024: Meet the five biggest newsmakers in Indian cricket

It’s that time of the year when the Indian cricket fan browses back through the balance sheet of what the year 2024 had to offer.

If 29 June 2024 was the high point for the Men in Blue, ending their 13-year World Cup jinx with the T20 World Cup win, the nadir was without doubt having come a cropper against New Zealand in the Bengaluru Test with a 46 all-out.

The 3-0 whitewash at the hands of Kiwis at home still rankles. With it, Team Blue's chances of making the third final in a row at the World Test Championship (WTC) took a massive beating.

As we speak, Rohit Sharma & Co. now have the odds stacked against them in their battle to retain the Border–Gavaskar Trophy. The ongoing Test series Down Under also underlines the fact that public memory is short, as the Big Two of Indian cricket — Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli — lionised after the World T20 triumph when they retired from the format have now almost become the villains of the piece due to their poor form with the bat lately.

Who, then, were the newsmakers of Indian cricket in this rollercoaster year? National Herald takes a look at five top contenders:

1. Rishabh Pant

There can be no dispute about it — the comeback of the wicketkeeper-batter after 22 months lost to a life-threatening car accident has been the most fascinating story of Indian cricket this year.

Titles can be won or lost, centuries can be scored and fifers taken, but the cricketing community heaved the biggest sigh of relief and joy when he took position behind the stumps again for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024.

As Rishabh Pant 2.0, there is now a bigger role for him in store for Indian cricket — while he has also become the highest-paid cricketer ever in the cash-rich IPL, with a price tag of Rs 27 crore as he goes to the Lucknow Super Giants for the next cycle.

2. Jasprit Bumrah

It’s yet another comeback story which actually started with his stellar performance in the ICC 50-overs World Cup at home last year. There has been no stopping the pace ace since then, as he has been India’s single biggest wicket-taker across all formats — being virtually unplayable in the World T20 to emerge as Player of the Tournament with 15 wickets at an economy rate of 4.17.

The ever-smiling assassin is a prized asset for India. The only concern with him is over workload management — as the pressure on him has been mounting with the continued absence of Mohammed Shami.  

3. Yashasvi Jaiswal

Now only 22, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a revelation in Test cricket ever since he was introduced in the traditional format in an away Test series against the West Indies in 2023.

The current year has seen him build on this, as he has piled up 1,394 runs from 15 Tests in 2024 (after the 82 in the first innings of the ongoing Boxing Day Test) — that's the fifth-highest aggregate by an Indian in a calendar year.

What’s more, he is the second highest run-getter in Tests this year as he trails only the prolific Joe Root of England (1,556 runs from 17 Tests).

4. Hardik Pandya

It’s a pity that Hardik Pandya missed out a long-term captain’s role for the Indian T20 team, apparently due to fitness concerns.

The seaming all-rounder, who was controversially named captain of the Mumbai Indians for the IPL 2024, endured a terrible campaign in the League even as his personal life also went into a tailspin.

However, back in an India shirt in the T20 World Cup in the US and West Indies, he proved his worth by chipping in with valuable runs in the lower order (144) and claimed 11 wickets in the tournament.

A fervent wish: will he ever reconsider his decision of avoiding the red ball format? It could lend major balance to the Indian Test team?

5. Ravi Ashwin

The news of Ravi Ashwin’s sudden retirement from international cricket, right in the middle of Border–Gavaskar Trophy, has not gone down well with the Indian cricket fan. Better known among his colleagues in the changing room as the ‘Scientist’ — for his analytical mind and propensity to experiment — the 38-year-old leaves behind a huge legacy in the sport as India’s second highest wicket-taker in Tests (537) after Anil Kumble (619), with 765 scalps across all formats.

With the cricketing ecosystem of the country devoid of quality seaming all-rounders, Ashwin and his partner in crime Ravindra Jadeja served India as all-rounders for years, with distinction.

And yes, the biggest 'could have been' was not getting the opportunity to see Ashwin lead the country as captain. In fact, he was never even considered for vice-captaincy — despite his seniority!