Joe Root named ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year after impressive 2021 for England

Joe Root scored 1,708 runs in 15 matches to become the third player in history to aggregate over 1,700 runs in Test cricket in a calendar year, joining Mohammad Yousuf and Sir Vivian Richards

Michael Atherton explains why England captain Joe Root is such a good player of spin as he analyses his incredible double hundred against Sri Lanka

England captain Joe Root has been named as the ICC Men's Test Cricketer of the Year for 2021.

The Yorkshireman scored 1,708 runs in 2021, the third-highest total on record in a calendar year with only Pakistan's Mohammad Yousuf (1,788 in 2006) and West Indies great Sir Viv Richards (1,710 in 1976) previously registering more.

Root registered two double centuries and a further four hundreds, including three in successive Tests against India during the summer. The highest total was a 228, scoring in the first Test of a 2-0 series win away in Sri Lanka, with Root also making a brilliant 218 in the first Test away against India in Chennai.

"I am incredibly proud to receive this award," said the 31-year-old, only the second Englishman to win the accolade after Sir Alastair Cook in 2011. "I am very humbled to be in the same breath as a number of wonderful players around the world and it means a huge amount to have got this award.

Image: Joe Root averaged 61 with the bat in Tests during 2021

"If there was one hundred that really sticks out it would probably be in Chennai (the 218 in February) against India. With it being my 100th game it is something that will live long in the memory."

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The 31-year-old averaged 61 with the bat in Tests last year and also chipped in 14 wickets at an average of 30.50 with his part-time off-spin, including a career-best 5-8 - his first five-wicket haul in Tests - during the third Test away in India.

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Root was nominated for the award alongside New Zealand bowler Kyle Jamieson, Sri Lanka opener Dimuth Karunaratne and India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

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