As the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2025 award approaches announcement, anticipation builds around players who dominated the longest format with extraordinary consistency and impact. This prestigious honour recognizes sustained excellence across gruelling series, where batters piled up runs and bowlers dismantled line-ups under pressure. Deep research into 2025 performances reveals a fiercely contested race blending volume stats, match-winning knocks, and pivotal contributions

Top 5 contenders for ICC Men’s T20I cricketer of the Year 2025

1. Joe Root (England)

England‘s Joe Root emerged as the leading run-scorer in Test cricket for 2025, showcasing masterful consistency across demanding series. His prolific output highlighted a refined technique blending patience with calculated aggression, anchoring England’s revival in key battles.

Runs: 805
Average / Strike Rate: 50.31 / 57.70
Milestones: Recorded 4 centuries and 1 half-century in 18 innings.
Signature Performance: Crafted an unbeaten 135 at the Gabba during the Ashes, hailed as his finest innings amid a top-order collapse, steering England to a fighting total against Australia’s pace barrage.​

2. Shubman Gill (India)

Shubman Gill dominated the run charts as India‘s young captain, blending elegance with resilience on challenging pitches worldwide. His explosive scoring propelled India to series triumphs, marking his ascent as a global batting powerhouse.
Runs: 983
Average / Strike Rate: 70.21 / 63.70
Milestones: Smashed 5 centuries and 1 half-century in 16 innings.
Signature Performance: Blasted a career-best 269 at Edgbaston against England, part of twin tons totalling over 430 runs that sealed a commanding victory, the highest by an Asian in an English series.​

Also READ: Top 5 contenders for ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year 2025

3. Travis Head (Australia)

Travis Head‘s fearless aggression lit up Australia‘s campaigns, particularly in the Ashes defense, where his rapid counters dismantled bowling attacks. His ability to accelerate under pressure proved decisive in high-stakes chases and rebuilds.
Runs: 817
Average / Strike Rate: 40.85 / 79.39
Milestones: Notched 2 centuries and 3 half-centuries in 21 innings.
Signature Performance: Unleashed 170 in the Ashes at Perth, clinching the series with a blistering chase of 205 for an 8-wicket win, embodying his new-ball opener role.​​

4. Mitchell Starc (Australia)

Mitchell Starc terrorized batters with express pace and swing, leading Australia’s bowling charts and turning matches single-handedly. His stamina across long hauls and flat tracks underscored his status as a modern great.
Wickets: 55
Average / Economy: 17.32 / 3.66
Milestones: Claimed 3 five-wicket hauls and 1 ten-wicket match in 22 innings.
Signature Performance: Devastated India with 7/58 at the MCG, including a lethal 1-25 spell that sparked a collapse, pivotal in retaining the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.​​

5. Mohammed Siraj (India)

Mohammed Siraj spearheaded India’s pace attack, surging to the top of global Test wicket-takers with fiery spells in diverse conditions. His leadership in the fast-bowling unit complemented spin dominance, restricting opponents ruthlessly.
Wickets: 43
Average / Economy: 27.20 / 3.75
Milestones: Secured 2 four-wicket hauls and 2 five-wicket hauls in 19 innings.
Signature Performance: Dismantled West Indies with 6/70, including Shai Hope‘s prized wicket at 103, propelling India to a series whitewash abroad.

Also READ: Top 5 contenders for ICC Men’s ODI cricketer of the Year 2025

Congress MP Manickam Tagore (File photo)

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Manickam Tagore on Sunday stoked controversy as he compared the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with Islamic terror outfit al-Qaida, saying the BJP’s ideological mentor “breeds hatred and propagates hatred”.Reacting to Congress leader Digvijay Singh’s remark praising the organisational strength of the RSS, Tagore said, “there is nothing to learn from the RSS,” which is the ideological fountainhead of Hindutva.

“RSS is an organisation that spreads hatred. It breeds hatred and propagates hatred. That organisation is like al-Qaida. Al-Qaeda is also an organised group that spreads hatred and terror. There is nothing to learn from the RSS,” Manickam Tagore told news agency IANS.Building on Digvijay’s remark, RSS member Indresh Kumar blunted the attack from Congress leader Manickam Tagore by linking his remark to the “intellectual and mental bankruptcy of the Congress leadership and its members”.“Some leaders praised the RSS for its discipline, patriotism, and work in nation-building. This has caused turmoil within the Congress party, and it appears divided. In this context, a prominent MP has revealed his mindset by comparing the RSS to al-Qaeda… It reflects the intellectual and mental bankruptcy of the Congress leadership and its members,” Indresh Kumar told news agency ANI while highlighting the 100 years of work of the RSS.Reacting to Manickam Tagore’s criticism of the RSS, Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC said: “Congress MP Manickam Tagore, when he says RSS spreads hatred, I want to say, little knowledge is dangerous thing, when he compares RSS to the likes of al-Qaida, it shows, you have no thought process sir… The Congress has only spread hatred, terror, and for you to suggest that the RSS, there is nothing to learn from, let me please say, the only thing to learn from RSS is nation-building, which is for Congress to learn.“On the day the Congress marked its 140th foundation anniversary, senior leader Digvijay Singh’s remarks praising the RSS’s organisational strength drew divided reactions from the party leaders, raising fresh questions about potential internal discord.Some Congress leaders dismissed the idea that the RSS could offer any lessons to their party, while others subtly took veiled jibe at Singh.Digvijay Singh sparked row after he shared a black-and-white photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi sitting on the floor near senior BJP leader LK Advani in Gujarat. Singh commented on the ability of grassroots workers to ascend through the ranks to become chief minister and eventually Prime Minister, attributing this to the “power of organisation.”He tagged several senior Congress figures, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge, MPs Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh, PM Modi, and the official Congress handles.

Retired Pakistan cricketer Imad Wasim has publicly confirmed that he has separated from his wife Sannia Ashfaq. The 37-year-old said the decision followed unresolved issues, and that the couple has chosen to divorce by mutual consent after six years of marriage.Wasim shared the announcement on his official social media account, stating that the decision came after long-standing differences that could not be settled.

“After much thought, and due to repeated conflicts that could not be resolved over the past few years, I have filed for divorce,” he wrote.He asked people to respect their privacy and requested that past photographs of the couple not be circulated.“I sincerely request everyone to respect our privacy and avoid using or sharing any old couple photos. Please also refrain from referring to her as my spouse going forward,” he added.Wasim also cautioned against speculation and said any false claims or attempts to involve others would be dealt with legally.“I request everyone not to engage in or believe any misleading narratives. Any attempt to defame or involve others in this personal matter will be addressed through the proper legal channels if necessary.”He said his responsibilities towards his children would continue.“Regarding the children, I remain their father and will continue to care for them fully and responsibly. Thank you for your understanding and respect,” he concluded.Sannia also confirmed the divorce on her Insta handle, saying, “I am writing this from a place of deep pain. My home has been broken, and my children have been left without their father. I am a mother of three, including a five month old infant who has yet to be held by his father. This is not a story I wished to share, but silence should never be mistaken for weakness.”“Like many marriages, ours had difficulties, yet it continued to exist. I remained committed as a wife and mother and made sincere efforts to preserve our family. What ultimately ended this marriage was the involvement of a third party, whose intention was to marry my husband, became the final blow to an already struggling union,” she added.Imad Wasim and Sannia Ashfaq were married in 2019. The couple has three children.

Satellite communication services in India will be rolled out only after operators meet security requirements and spectrum pricing is finalised, Union telecom minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said, adding that the government is also examining issues related to Vodafone Idea (Vi).In an interview to PTI, Scindia said players such as Elon Musk-owned Starlink, Eutelsat One and Jio Satellite Global Services (SGS) will get spectrum once the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) completes the pricing process and companies comply with security norms.“There are two issues that need to be addressed. One by the licence holders OneWeb, Reliance Jio, and Starlink, which is to comply with security clearances regarding international gateways, ensuring data remains in India, and so on,” Scindia said.He said the government has already allocated provisional spectrum to satcom companies to allow them to demonstrate compliance with security agencies. “They are in the process of doing that, so they need to comply,” he added.On spectrum pricing, Scindia said the matter is being handled by the DoT and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). “Hopefully that should be resolved soon,” he said.Trai and the DoT have differed on several aspects of spectrum allocation for satcom services. Earlier this month, Trai rejected a number of DoT proposals, including levying a 5 per cent annual spectrum fee instead of 4 per cent and removing a Rs 500 per-connection charge in urban areas. The DoT is expected to place its views before the Digital Communication Commission (DCC), the apex decision-making body in the telecom sector, which will decide the future course of action, including whether Cabinet approval is required.On Vodafone Idea, Scindia said the department is still examining the company’s request for relief. “We are today applying our minds on that. It is work in progress within the Department of Telecommunications,” he said.Vodafone Idea has told the DoT that its liabilities to the government stand at around Rs 2 lakh crore, including Rs 1.19 lakh crore in spectrum dues. The company has warned that without support, the Centre could face losses due to non-recovery of dues and erosion of equity value. The Supreme Court has allowed the government to address the matter within its policy-making powers.Asked about concerns over repeated relief to Vi, Scindia said no such relief has been extended so far. “We have not given any relief as such. We have converted our dues into equity. Therefore, we hold a 49 per cent equity stake in Vodafone against dues of close to, if I recall correctly, Rs 37,000 crore. That is now the Government of India’s equity stake in that company,” he said.In the absence of further relief, Vodafone Idea is required to pay around Rs 18,000 crore by March 2026 and a similar amount annually for the next six years. Its annual liabilities are more than double its operational cash generation, which has been about Rs 8,400–9,200 crore over the past three years.Vi has warned that any threat to its operations could push the market into a duopoly and lead to higher telecom tariffs. Scindia, however, said India’s telecom market remains competitive.“If you look at countries across the world, very few can boast of four providers of telecom services. India today has four very robust telcos,” he said, adding that Vodafone Idea and BSNL together still serve over 300 million customers. “We would like to see that continue.”

Orry has come out strongly in support of his close friend Janhvi Kapoor. This happened after YouTuber Dhruv Rathee shared a video talking about beauty and surgery in Bollywood. In that video Dhruv named many actors and also used a picture of the ‘Param Sundari’ actress as the thumbnail. Many people felt the video was rude and hurtful. Orry did not stay silent and decided to speak up for Janhvi in his own signature style.

What did Dhruv Rathee say?

On December 25 Dhruv Rathee uploaded a video where he spoke about plastic surgery, botox fillers and skin treatments. He mentioned names like Janhvi Kapoor, Bipasha Basu Shruti Haasan, Deepika Padukone, Shilpa Shetty Kajol and Priyanka Chopra. He also showed before and after pictures of Janhvi. This made the video spread fast and people started talking about it everywhere.

Orry makes a sharp reply

Orry saw an Instagram reel talking about this video. The reel also said Dhruv posted this video just hours after Janhvi shared a story about a lynching incident in Bangladesh. Reacting to this Orry commented, “She probably doesn’t even know who he is.” He then went stronger and called Dhruv an anti nationalist. In another comment Orry wrote “I myself only know him as that anti nationalist who complains about not getting papped at train station despite having followers.” Safe to sayt, Orry’s words quickly went viral.

Recent ‘Dhurandhar’ controversy

This is not the first time Dhruv Rathee is in controversy. Earlier he had criticised the film Dhurandhar and called it propaganda. He said “Well made propaganda is more dangerous.” The content creator questioned the film’s use if real events in story telling which is manipulating. ‘Dhurandhar’ actor Naveen Kaushik clapped back at the content creators remarks in an interview with SCREEN by saying, “He is an opinionated person. I am associated with the film, I don’t agree with him obviously. He got some views because of us, congratulations.”

Orry HITS BACK at YouTuber Dhruv Rathee over remarks on BFF Janhvi Kapoor: ‘She probably doesn’t even know who he is’Orry has come out strongly in support of his close friend Janhvi Kapoor. This happened after YouTuber Dhruv Rathee shared a video talking about beauty and surgery in Bollywood. In that video Dhruv named many actors and also used a picture of the ‘Param Sundari’ actress as the thumbnail. Many people felt the video was rude and hurtful. Orry did not stay silent and decided to speak up for Janhvi in his own signature style.What did Dhruv Rathee say?On December 25 Dhruv Rathee uploaded a video where he spoke about plastic surgery, botox fillers and skin treatments. He mentioned names like Janhvi Kapoor, Bipasha Basu Shruti Haasan, Deepika Padukone, Shilpa Shetty Kajol and Priyanka Chopra. He also showed before and after pictures of Janhvi. This made the video spread fast and people started talking about it everywhere.Orry makes a sharp replyOrry saw an Instagram reel talking about this video. The reel also said Dhruv posted this video just hours after Janhvi shared a story about a lynching incident in Bangladesh. Reacting to this Orry commented, “She probably doesn’t even know who he is.” He then went stronger and called Dhruv an anti nationalist. In another comment Orry wrote “I myself only know him as that anti nationalist who complains about not getting papped at train station despite having followers.” Safe to sayt, Orry’s words quickly went viral.Recent ‘Dhurandhar’ controversyThis is not the first time Dhruv Rathee is in controversy. Earlier he had criticised the film Dhurandhar and called it propaganda. He said “Well made propaganda is more dangerous.” The content creator questioned the film’s use if real events in story telling which is manipulating. ‘Dhurandhar’ actor Naveen Kaushik clapped back at the content creators remarks in an interview with SCREEN by saying, “He is an opinionated person. I am associated with the film, I don’t agree with him obviously. He got some views because of us, congratulations.”

In a year that has seen the shortest format of the game reach new heights of power-hitting and tactical mystery, former Indian cricketer and renowned commentator Abhinav Mukund has unveiled his Best T20I XI of 2025.

Ex-cricketer reveals his best XI of T20I format for 2025

While the list features a heavy presence of Indian stars who dominated the 2025 calendar, the biggest talking point remains the high-profile absence of Jasprit Bumrah. Despite Bumrah’s impressive show, Mukund has opted for a bowling attack based on current form and the unique impact players have had over the last twelve months. The lineup is a blend of explosive opening power, middle-order stability, and a bowling unit that features some of the most successful “resurgent” stars of 2025.

Solid top-order ft. Abhishek Sharma

Mukund’s opening duo reflects the “fearless” brand of cricket that defined 2025. Abhishek Sharma takes the pole position after a record-breaking year where he hammered a massive 135 off 54 balls against England. Partnering him is Sri Lanka’s Pathum Nissanka, who has been a model of consistency, finishing the year with 2,345 career T20I runs and a brilliant 107 against India in the Asia Cup.

England’s Jos Buttler occupies the number three spot. Even as he balances national duty with the IPL, Buttler’s 2025 T20I strike rate remained formidable at nearly 149, providing the perfect bridge between the powerplay and the middle overs.

• Abhishek Sharma in 2025: 21 matches | 859 runs | 193.46 strike rate
• Pathum Nissanka in 2025: 18 matches | 625 runs | 149.16 strike rate
• Jos Buttler in 2025: 15 matches | 480 runs | 164.38 strike rate

Young guns and all-round depth

The middle order is dominated by India’s new-age superstars. Tilak Varma finds a spot after a prolific year, highlighted by a stunning 73 off 42 against South Africa in December. He is followed by the “finisher” duo of Tim David and South African sensation Dewald Brevis. Brevis, nicknamed “Baby AB,” truly arrived on the international stage in 2025, breaking records with an unbeaten 125 off 56 balls* against Australia—the highest individual T20I score for South Africa.

Leading the all-round department is Hardik Pandya, who enjoyed a vintage 2025. Pandya surpassed Yuvraj Singh’s record for the most “50+ runs and 1+ wicket” doubles in T20Is, ending his December series against the Proteas with 142 runs at a staggering strike rate of 186.84.

• Tilak Varma in 2025: 20 matches | 567 runs | 129.15  strike rate
• Tim David in 2025: 14 matches | 395 runs | 197.50 strike rate
• Dewald Brevis in 2025: 17 matches | 464 runs | 176.42 strike rate
• Hardik Pandya in 2025: 15 matches | 302 runs | 153.29 strike rate

Also READ: Harsha Bhogle picks Test Team of the Year 2025, Pat Cummins named captain

The Jasprit Bumrah-less bowling attack

The most controversial aspect of the XI is the omission of Bumrah. Instead, Mukund has rewarded the sheer wicket-taking volume of New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy and India’s Varun Chakaravarthy. Notably, Bumrah had a strong year in T20Is in 2025, becoming only the second Indian to reach the 100-wicket milestone and performing exceptionally well in various series. He finished the year as India’s third-highest T20I wicket-taker.

Chakaravarthy also had a phenomenal year in T20Is in 2025, finishing as India’s leading wicket-taker and the joint-highest among all Test-playing nations with 36 wickets. His stellar performance made him the No. 1 ranked T20I bowler in the world and earned him the Player of the Series award in the home series against South Africa. Duffy, too, rose to become the World No. 1 T20I bowler in April 2025, following a demolition of Pakistan where he took 4/14.  His impressive performance made him the first Kiwi bowler to claim over 30 T20I wickets in a calendar year. Mukund also went with Mohammad Nawaz and Mustafizur Rahman to complete his bowling attack.

• Varun Chakaravarthy in 2025: 20 matches | 36 wickets | 5/24 BBI
• Jacob Duffy in 2025: 21 matches | 35 wickets | 4/14 BBI
• Mohammad Nawaz in 2025: 26 matches | 36 wickets | 5/19 BBI
• Mustafizur Rahman in 2025: 20 matches | 26 wickets | 3/11 BBI

Abhinav Mukund’s best T20I XI of 2025: Abhishek Sharma, Pathum Nisaanka, Jos Buttler, Tilak Varma, Tim David, Dewald Brevis, Hardik Pandya, Mohammad Nawaz, Jacob Duffy, Varun Chakaravarthy, Mustafizur Rahman

Also READ: Abhinav Mukund reveals his best Test playing XI for 2025; names Temba Bavuma as captain