Despite the Manchester fiasco to conclude the international summer, there were 7 Tests played in England in 2021 featuring England (6), India (5) and New Zealand (3).
So who is in the running to be the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year based on their performance in the last English first class summer? Who are the contenders? Here is a look at five potential options.
Rohit Sharma is likely to be selected as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year 2021-22. It will be revealed in April. Rohit enjoyed a successful summer in England. His contribution at the opening position was a key factor for why India are leading the Pataudi Trophy presently with the 5th Test at Edgbaston still to play in the first five days of July.
Jasprit Bumrah is also a contender. Although wicketless in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final, Bumrah played a key role in the wins over England later in the summer in London. He also had an impressive match during the drawn Test in Nottingham in the series opener.
KL Rahul formed a successful opening combination with Rohit Sharma. Rahul managed to score a century in the first innings at Lord’s, but he was involved in many useful opening partnerships alongside India’s newly appointed white ball Captain during the Pataudi Trophy.
Devon Conway from New Zealand is another likely contender to be one of Wisden’s five in 2021-22. The left-handed opener took Test Cricket like a duck to water by notching up a double century in his first Test match innings at Lord’s. He followed it up with half centuries in the second Test at Edgbaston and the World Test Championship decider in Southampton, Test Matches that New Zealand would win comfortably to give them both the series honours against the hosts and the Test mace versus India. It has to surely go down as one of the most successful debut Test tours in history.
Ollie Robinson had a profitable summer with ball in hand in his first taste of international cricket. Robinson showed a lot of character following the re-emergence of inappropriate past tweets which saw him sit out of the second Test against New Zealand at Edgbaston as punishment. Despite being publicly shamed for his teenage immaturity, the Sussex right arm seamer kept taking wickets and impressing, making him a shining light in a difficult home Test summer for the home side.
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