India Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal Wins ICC Men's Player Of The Month Award For February

The prodigious Yashasvi Jaiswal was on Tuesday named the ICC Men's Player of the Month for February 2024 following his sensational run in the five-match series against visiting England. The 22-year-old Indian beat competition from New Zealand great Kane Williamson and Sri Lanka opener Pathum Nissanka to win the award. (More Cricket News)

Jaiswal was the leading scorer in the India vs England series, which the hosts won 4-1 after losing the opener in Hyderabad. The left-handed batter from Suriya in Uttar Pradesh scored 712 runs in nine innings, including two double centuries and three half-centuries. His average of 89.00 was also the best among the batters (minimum of 200 runs).

"I'm very happy to win this ICC award and I hope that there will be more in the future. It’s my first five-match series and it’s been an incredible experience with all my mates," Yashasvi Jaiswal told the International Cricket Council (ICC).

A flamboyant batter, the youngster took apart the England attack, hitting most fours (68) and sixes (26). Jaiswal created a host of batting records in February. In the third Test at Rajkot's Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, he clobbered as many as 12 sixes in an innings to equal Pakistan legend Wasim Akram's world record (vs Zimbabwe in Sheikhupura in 1996).

The back-to-back double hundreds -- 209 in Visakhapatnam and 214 not out in Rajkot -- made him the third-youngest batter in the history of the game to record two double tons in Tests after legendary Australian Donald Bradman and former India batter Vinod Kambli.

"I continue to put in the hard yards in my practice sessions, learning from my seniors and trying my best on the ground. My highlight was probably celebrating my double century in Rajkot. That was something I really enjoyed,' he added. "I’m really enjoying this moment and I’m looking forward to the next series."

For the record, Jaiswal ended February with an aggregate of 560 runs at an average of 112 in three Test matches. He started the month with a double century in Visakhapatnam, then carried the form into March, breaching the 1000-run mark in Test cricket. He thus became the second-quickest Indian, in 16 innings, to the landmark after Kambli, in 14 innings.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was also adjudged the Player of the Series for his heroics against England. He is the second Indian player to win the Player of the Month Award in the last six months. Shubman Gill won the award in September 2023. In the ICC Test batting rankings, the southpaw moved into the top 10 after starting the India vs England series in 69th position.

Jaiswal announced his arrival in international cricket with a sensational 171 on debut against the West Indies in July last year. In nine matches, he has an aggregate of 1028 runs.

Meanwhile, Australia's record-breaking all-rounder Annabel Sutherland claimed the ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award following her strong performance with both bat and ball against South Africa, pipping UAE duo of Kavisha Egodage and Esha Oza.

Jaiswal and Sutherland were voted as February’s winners by global fans registered at icc-cricket.com and a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players and media representatives, said an ICC release.