Joe Root awarded PCA Men's Player of the Year
England’s Test captain Joe Root has won the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) Men’s Player of the Year Award for 2021.
The right-handed batter had an outstanding summer that saw him amass 661 runs at an average of 66.1, which included three centuries against India.
Joe Root started 2021 with successive tons in Sri Lanka. He followed that up with another fine century in Chennai.
After mastering the subcontinent dustbowls, the 30-year-old exhibited his skills against the moving ball by slamming three centuries in the home Tests against the visiting Indians.
He scored six of his team’s seven centuries in England’s 12 Tests in 2021, including four scores over 180. With 1,455 runs this calendar year, a good Ashes could see Joe Root get past Mohammad Yousuf’s record of 1,788 Test runs that he registered in 2006.
It’s the second time Joe Root has won the player-voted PCA award, having been named the Men’s Young Player of the Year in 2012. He is only the seventh individual to win both of the men’s prizes.
Joe Root’s boyhood idol Michael Vaughan and Adam Lyth are the other Yorkshire players to have won this award in the men’s category. In 2020, Joe Root’s England teammate Chris Woakes won the award.
Happy to be alongside my heroes: Joe Root
Joe Root expressed his thrill at winning the PCA Men’s Player of the Year award as it put him alongside his heroes.
"I'm very proud to receive the cinch PCA Men’s Player of the Year award. It means a huge amount to be recognized by your fellow professionals. You spend a lot of time playing alongside them and for them to vote for me is really quite humbling.
"A lot of my heroes when I was growing up are on that trophy so I’m chuffed to be alongside them. I’ve been in good touch and had a good understanding of how I wanted to score my runs this year.
"There have been some really close games and it’s been very enjoyable. I’ve scored runs against the best teams in the world so that has given me confidence, even as an experienced player," Joe Root said through a press release.
The England Test skipper, who is expected to lead the side on the Ashes tour in Australia later this year, believes it’s winning Tests for England that give him the best feeling.
"Ultimately, it’s about winning for England and putting in performances that will win you Test matches.
"That’s the best feeling – when you walk off the pitch knowing you’ve put in a performance that has won your side the game. You want to replicate that and it really acts as a driving force," Joe Root added.
England women’s all-rounder Eve Jones won the award in the women’s category, with Harry Brook and Alice Capsey each picking up Young Player of the Year.