London, April 14
Australian pacer Mitchell Starc and the Indian women's cricket team all-rounder Deepti Sharma have been named the Leading Cricketers in the World by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack for their outstanding performances in 2025, according to ESPNcricinfo.
The accolades were announced ahead of Wednesday's publication of the 163rd edition of the Almanack.
Mitchell Starc, who turned 36 in January, took 55 wickets in 11 Tests in 2025 at an outstanding average of 17.32 and an economy of 3.66.
Deepti Sharma, on the other hand, was named India's Player of the Tournament as India Women won their first-ever ODI World Cup in 2025, defeating South Africa by 52 runs in the final. Throughout the tournament, she scored 215 runs at an average of 30.71 and also took 22 wickets at an average of 20.40. In the final, she played a key role with a quick 58 off 58 balls and finished the match with outstanding bowling figures of 5-39 in 9.3 overs to help the Women in Blue seal the victory. She claimed 39 wickets at an average of 27.10 in 2025, the most by any player in Women's ODIs.
India's Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant and Mohammed Siraj have also been recognised in this year's Almanack as they have all been named among Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year, following their performances in the five-match Test series in England, where Gill-led side drew the Test series 2-2 against the Three Lions.
Gill emerged as the top scorer in the series with 754 runs at a remarkable average of 75.40, with four hundreds to his name. Jadeja scored 516 runs at an average of 86.00, and Pant made 479 runs at an average of 68.43. Mohammed Siraj shone with the ball for India as he claimed 23 wickets at an average of 32.43. He was the highest wicket-taker in the series.
India's Test and ODI teams captain, Shubman Gill, has also won the Wisden Trophy for the outstanding individual performance of the year, after his match-winning 430 runs in the second Test of the series at Edgbaston.
India's swashbuckling T20I team opening batter, Abhishek Sharma, has been recognised as the Leading T20 Player in the world after a remarkable year in which he scored 1602 runs in 40 runs at an average of 41.07 and strike rate of 202.01 with three centuries and nine fifties to his name in the calendar year.
Notably, Haseeb Hameed is the only English player to win one of this year's major honours. He has been included among the Five Cricketers of the Year after leading Nottinghamshire to the County Championship title, while amassing 1,258 runs at an average of 66.00, including four centuries, two of which were double tons.
- ANI
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