Shamar Joseph, the West Indies quick, has made a remarkable start to his international career. Rising from relative obscurity, Joseph has quickly ascended to the brink of stardom after just two matches.

Joseph’s debut in international cricket was so spectacular that he outshone strong contenders such as England’s Ollie Pope and Australia’s Josh Hazlewood to clinch the first men’s monthly award of the new calendar year.

Joseph made an immediate impact on his debut in the first Test against Australia. The 24-year-old evoked memories of West Indies quicks of the past when he claimed the prized wicket of the world’s No.2 ranked batter Steve Smith with his very first delivery.

Joseph continued his impressive performance by claiming another four Australian wickets, ending with sensational figures of 5-94 in his first Test appearance in Adelaide. He also contributed with the bat, scoring 36 and 15 at No.11.

Joseph outdid himself in the second Test in Brisbane, delivering a spell for the ages with figures of 7-68. This performance was instrumental in the West Indies’ first Test victory in Australia since 1997.

After just two Tests, Joseph has scored 57 runs at a decent average of 28.50 and taken 13 wickets at an impressive average of 17.30.