Root named Wisden’s ‘Leading Cricketer’

Just days after resigning from the England captaincy, Joe Root has been named the ‘Leading Cricketer in the World’ in the latest edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack after scoring 1708 Test runs in 2021.

Root scored six Test centuries and finished 2021 with the third-highest ever total of runs in a calendar year, behind only the tallies of Mohammad Yousuf (1788) and Viv Richards (1710).

While the 31-year-old excelled with the bat his record as captain was tarnished by subsequent damaging defeats on tours of Australia and the Caribbean early this year.

“Root rose above the struggles of England’s Test side to produce one of the all-time great performances in a calendar year,” Wisden editor Lawrence Booth said.

South Africa opener Lizelle Lee was named the leading women’s player in the world after scoring 632 one-day international runs in 2021 at an average of 90.28, including a career-best unbeaten 132 against India.

Indian duo Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah, England pacer Ollie Robinson, New Zealand batter Devon Conway and South Africa women’s captain Dane van Niekerk were Wisden’s five Cricketers of the Year.