India opener Mayank Agarwal was on Saturday nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award for December following his stellar efficiency within the Test sequence in opposition to New Zealand and South Africa.
Besides Agarwal, New Zealand spinner Ajaz Patel and Australian pacer Mitchell Starc had been additionally short-listed for the award.
With common openers Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill and KL Rahul all lacking video games in some unspecified time in the future final month, Agarwal grabbed the chance with each fingers in opposition to New Zealand and South Africa.
In two matches, he scored 276 runs at a median of 69.00, which included two fifties and a century.
Agarwal was the architect of the win in Mumbai in opposition to New Zealand with a Player of the Match-winning efficiency of 150 and 62 within the two innings.
An Aussie quick bowler, an in-form India opener and a record-equaling spinner from New Zealand.
Who can be your ICC Men’s Player of the month? 👀
Details 👉 https://t.co/XsumbkHtzjAnd VOTE 🗳️ https://t.co/FBb5PMInKI pic.twitter.com/hhZeqJIopf
— ICC (@ICC) January 8, 2022
He additionally performed an important position in India breaking the Centurion hoodoo for the very first time.
Batting first in overcast circumstances, KL Rahul and Agarwal set the platform with a superb opening partnership of 117. During the stand, he was examined by the fiery Proteas tempo assault however got here out shining with a superb 60.
India posted 327 within the first innings, which finally proved to be the distinction between the 2 sides.
India-born kiwi spinner Ajaz Patel’s identify was immortalised in cricketing historical past in December, when he picked up 10 wickets in an innings in opposition to India, changing into the third participant in Tests to attain the feat after Jim Laker and Anil Kumble.
The left-arm spinner performed only one Test within the month, the place he picked up 14 wickets at a median of 16.07. He picked up all 10 wickets within the first innings however was disillusioned by the Kiwi batters who had been bundled out for 62.
In the second innings, he picked up 4 wickets, together with that of Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara. He completed with figures of 14/225, one of the best bowling figures in a Test match in 2021.
Starc additionally had standout performances each with the bat and ball in hand as Australia retained the Ashes with two video games to spare.
In three video games final month, he picked up 14 wickets at a median of 19.64 and was greater than useful with the bat, scoring 117 runs at a median of 58.50.
He set the tone for the entire sequence by dismissing Rory Burns with the primary ball of the primary Test. While batting, he stored Travis Head firm with an innings of 35 and added 85 essential runs for the eighth wicket.
In the second Test in Adelaide, Starc snapped six wickets and scored 58. This included a superb four-wicket haul within the first innings that helped cut back England to 236, giving Australia an enormous lead of 237 runs.
In the Boxing Day Test, Starc picked two essential wickets within the first innings, together with that of England’s captain Joe Root.
His innings of 24 not out helped Australia acquire an 82-run lead, which proved to be sufficient as England had been bundled out for 68. He picked up three wickets within the second innings as Australia gained by an innings to retain the urn.
