ICC Player of the Month nominees for January 2024 feature Ollie Pope, Shamar Joseph, Alyssa Healy

The International Cricket Council announced the nominees for the ICC Men's and Women's Player of the Month awards for January 2024 on February 5. English batter Ollie Pope, who famously smashed 196 against India in a first Test match, is among three nominees for the prestigious ICC award.

Pope's 196-run knock in the second innings of the Hyderabad Test proved a game-changer as India had taken a huge 190-run lead in their first innings. The No. 3 English batter played a memorable knock while the other batters struggled against India's impressive spin attack.

The English batter faces tough competition for the ICC's monthly award from fast bowlers Josh Hazlewood and Shamar Joseph. The Australian pacer took 19 wickets in six Test innings in January and was the leading wicket-taker in the two-match Test series against West Indies last month.

Shamar Joseph stole the limelight in January with a sensational start to his Test career. The right-arm pacer dismissed Steve Smith on his first delivery in international cricket during the first Test match in Adelaide which he turned into a five-wicket haul as well.

However, Shamar's best performance came in the second match at Gabba where he took seven wickets in the second innings to clinch the game and level the two-match series. Shamar bagged the Player of the Series award for his 13 wickets as West Indies ended their winless run in Tests against Australia.