Mitchell Starc and Deepti Sharma Honored as Leading Cricketers by Wisden

In a remarkable recognition of talent, Mitchell Starc and Deepti Sharma have been named the Leading Cricketers in the World for 2025 by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack. Starc's impressive wicket tally and Sharma's pivotal role in India's historic ODI World Cup win highlight their exceptional performances. Additionally, Shubman Gill and other Indian stars have also received accolades for their contributions in the Test series against England. Discover more about these outstanding achievements in the full article.

By Narendra Chaudhary Apr 14, 2026, 10:52 IST

Starc and Sharma Shine in Wisden's 2025 Awards

London [UK], April 14: Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc and Indian women's cricket all-rounder Deepti Sharma have been recognized as the Leading Cricketers in the World for 2025 by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, as reported by a prominent sports news outlet.

The announcement of these prestigious awards came just before the release of the 163rd edition of the Almanack on Wednesday.

Starc, who celebrated his 36th birthday in January, achieved remarkable success in 2025, taking 55 wickets across 11 Test matches with an impressive average of 17.32 and an economy rate of 3.66.

In contrast, Deepti Sharma was honored as India's Player of the Tournament after leading the Indian women's team to their inaugural ODI World Cup victory in 2025, where they triumphed over South Africa by 52 runs in the final. Throughout the tournament, she amassed 215 runs at an average of 30.71 and claimed 22 wickets at an average of 20.40. In the final match, she made a significant contribution with a swift 58 runs off 58 balls and delivered an exceptional bowling performance, finishing with figures of 5-39 in 9.3 overs, securing the win for the Women in Blue. In total, she took 39 wickets in 2025, the highest in Women's ODIs that year.

Additionally, Indian players Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant, and Mohammed Siraj have also been acknowledged in this year's Almanack, being named among Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year due to their performances in the five-match Test series against England, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

Gill stood out as the leading run-scorer in the series, accumulating 754 runs at an impressive average of 75.40, including four centuries. Jadeja contributed with 516 runs at an average of 86.00, while Pant scored 479 runs at an average of 68.43. Siraj excelled with the ball, taking 23 wickets at an average of 32.43, making him the highest wicket-taker in the series.

Shubman Gill, who captains both the Test and ODI teams, also received the Wisden Trophy for the best individual performance of the year, thanks to his match-winning 430 runs in the second Test at Edgbaston.

Furthermore, Abhishek Sharma, known for his explosive batting in T20Is, has been recognized as the Leading T20 Player globally after an outstanding year, scoring 1602 runs in 40 matches at an average of 41.07 and a strike rate of 202.01, which included three centuries and nine fifties.

Notably, Haseeb Hameed is the sole English player to receive a major accolade this year, being included among the Five Cricketers of the Year after leading Nottinghamshire to the County Championship title, scoring 1,258 runs at an average of 66.00, which featured four centuries, including two double centuries.