Cummins on Wednesday night was handed the prestigious award, after a year in which he took 14 more wickets than any other bowler.

It caps a stunning rise for the quick, who spent multiple years out of cricket battling injuries before becoming the game's best bowler.

He was one of five Australians picked in the Test team of the year, alongside Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Starc and Nathan Lyon.

Cummins' accolade makes him the fifth Australian to claim the prize since it was introduced in 2004, with Smith having won it twice.

"It's a tremendous honour to be considered the best player of last year and one which was certainly unexpected," Cummins said from Mumbai.

"I owe much to my team, teammates and all those involved in Australian cricket for what was a really successful year for the team.

"The highlight was certainly being able to retain the Ashes which was a great reward for the hard work that went into that tour."

Cummins finished the year with 59 wickets at an average of 20.14, while the 14-wicket gap between him and the next best for 2019 was the biggest by a quick since Sir Richard Hadlee in 1985.

England allrounder Ben Stokes was named the Sir Garfield Sobers cricketer of the year, for his performances across all formats.

Stokes won the World Cup off his own bat for England, and also produced one of the most-memorable Test performances in decades in the Ashes against Australia at Headingley.

Labuschagne was also named the emerging talent of 2019, after he rose from 110th in the world batting rankings to fourth by the end of December.

"It's been exciting, it has been a great journey and I am very humbled with this award," Labuschagne said.

"It has been a great summer but the challenge is when you have a summer like that is to make sure you are backing it up and keep doing it.

"Being part of such a great team has been amazing. I have been very fortunate to be able to play in what is a great time for Australian cricket."

Mitchell Starc was the other Australian to be rewarded, named in the ODI team of the year after his sensational World Cup.

It comes after Ellyse Perry had lifted the major prize last month at the women's awards, with Alyssa Healy also named T20 player of the year.

Virat Kohli received the spirit of cricket award, for his efforts to tell a crowd of Indian supporters to stop booing Smith at the World Cup.

Australian Associated Press