The ICC Cricketer of the Year is one of the most prestigious accolades in international cricket, awarded annually to the standout player across all formats.
Established in 2004, the first awards ceremony took place in London on September 7 of that year, setting the stage for two decades of cricketing excellence.
The inaugural Cricketer of the Year award was claimed by India’s Rahul Dravid, who later went on to become India’s head coach and led the team to T20 World Cup success.
In 2005, the award was shared for the only time in history between South Africans Jacques Kallis and Andrew Flintoff, marking a unique moment in ICC Awards history.
All Men’s ICC Cricketer Of The Year Winners
2004 – Rahul Dravid (India)
2005 – Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Andrew Flintoff (England)
2006 – Ricky Ponting (Australia)
2007 – Ricky Ponting (Australia)
2008- Shivnarine Chanderpaul
2009 – Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
2010 – Sachin Tendulkar (India)
2011 – Jonathan Trott (England)
2012 – Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka)
2013 – Michael Clarke (Australia)
2014 – Mitchell Johnson (Australia)
2015 – Steve Smith (Australia)
2016 – Ravichandran Ashwin (India)
2017 – Virat Kohli (India)
2018 – Virat Kohli (India)
2019 – Ben Stokes (England)
2021 – Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan)
2022 – Babar Azam (Pakistan)
2023 – Pat Cummins (Australia)
2024 – Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Ricky Ponting became the first player to win it twice, taking home the honour in 2006 and 2007. Later, Mitchell Johnson joined the exclusive group by winning in 2009 and 2014.
Other notable double winners include Virat Kohli, showcasing consistent brilliance over the years.
Indian Players Making Their Mark
India has produced several recipients of this esteemed honour. After Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar became the second Indian to win the award in 2010.
R. Ashwin was recognised in 2016 for his exceptional all-round contributions.
Virat Kohli made history by winning it twice, first in 2017 and again in 2018, solidifying his position as one of the modern greats of the game.
Over the past 20 years, the ICC Cricketer of the Year award has celebrated extraordinary talent, with many recipients leaving an indelible mark on world cricket.
