Root, Rizwan lead the pack in latest Wisden Almanack
The 2022 edition of the Wisden Almanack named England batter Joe Root as the Leading Cricketer of the World while India's Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma are among the Wisden Cricketers of the Year.
Root's stellar form in the 2021 calendar year saw the dependable right-hander score six centuries, including two double tons, to pile as many as 1708 runs in Tests – the third-highest registered in history – with an average of 61. Mohammad Yousuf (1,788) of Pakistan and Sir Vivian Richards (1,710) of the West Indies stay marginally ahead of Root, who recently resigned from England captaincy after five years at the helm.
In the shortest format, Pakistan's wicket-keeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan earned the title of the Leading T20 Cricketer of the World after becoming the first cricketer to achieve the feat of passing one thousand runs in a calendar year.
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Devon Conway of New Zealand has been sensational ever since he debuted with a double century. Conway joins Sharma, who tallied an impressive 368 runs in four Tests—including a watch-winning 127 at The Oval—and Bumrah, who has been brilliant on all fronts—both bowling and batting. Root's compatriot Ollie Robinson also made the cut with Conway and Co with his consistent seam bowling displays.
Dane van Niekerk from the women's circuit also found herself in the Cricketers of the Year category for her exceptional all-round performance at The Hundred. Niekerk's compatriot Lizelle Lee was deservingly named as the Leading Woman Cricketer in the World, having averaged around 90 with the bat in ODIs last year. However, Lee had a dismal Women's World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year after arriving in the tournament following the birth of her first child.
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