As the 2025 cricket calendar draws to a close, the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy The debate over the player who lifts the is reaching its peak. This year offered a masterclass of excellence across all formats, with India’s champions trophy Victory, a high-energy ashes and the rise of new stars across formats.
While many specialists dominated the singles formats, ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year The award recognizes players who have shown consistent excellence in Tests, ODIs and T20Is. From Pakistan’s new multifaceted leader to India’s run-machine captain, here are the top five contenders for 2025.
5 main contenders for ICC Cricketer of the Year 2025
1. Shubman Gill (India)
Gill literally took over 2025, making his mark not only as a premier batsman but also as a global leader. Rohit Sharma Taking on the responsibility of captaining India across all formats was never easy, but Gill took up the responsibility with amazing maturity and consistency.
He scored 1,764 international runs, and finished the year as the highest run-scorer in world cricket. His performance was not influenced by any one format—Gill averaged around 50 in 35 matches across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
The defining moment of his year came at Edgbaston, where his historic 269 against England entered the record books as the highest individual Test score by an Indian captain. Add in seven international centuries and a Champions Trophy triumph, and Gill has made an almost flawless case.
Decision: Leadership, big runs, big match performances—Gill ticks all the boxes and is at the forefront of the race.
2. Salman Ali Agha (Pakistan)
If Salman’s 2025 can be described in one word, it is ‘essential’. Coming into leadership roles in white-ball cricket, he became a mainstay of Pakistan across all formats, playing in 56 international matches, more than any other contender on this list. Salman scored 1,569 runs, often in pressure situations, while also contributing with the bowling and excelling in the slips—taking 32 Test catches, an amazing number for a non-specialist fielder.
His Champions Trophy campaign helped elevate his status further. Remaining calm under pressure, Salman played the innings of his life against South Africa, including his maiden ODI century (134), guiding Pakistan in a tense chase.
Decision: Their workload, adaptability, and leadership make them serious contenders when tested, even when the competition is tough.
3. Joe Root (England)
The routes are getting better with time. Even after retiring from T20, his hold on Test and ODI in 2025 was so strong that he scored 1,598 international runs, the third highest number globally. The year took Root further towards cricket immortality, as he became the second-highest run-scorer in Test history. In ODIs, he scored 808 runs, at an average of 65.77, topping the charts.
His unbeaten 166 against the West Indies was reflective of his old style: unhurried, technically excellent, and completely ruthless once set. With Gill scoring seven international centuries, Root proved that class indeed endures.
Decision: Root’s Bradman-like consistency in the longer formats keeps him in the news.
4. Jacob Duffy (New Zealand)
In a year that was dominated by the batsmen, Duffy stood out as the bowler who decided not to fall into his own shadow. He finished 2025 with 81 wickets in international cricket, the most across all formats. Duffy was particularly disastrous in the Tests, taking 25 wickets in four matches at an extraordinary average of just 16.28. His pace, ability to place the ball correctly and ability to take advantage of situations made him New Zealand’s trump card.
His white-ball impact was also notable. Taking 53 T20I wickets, Duffy proved that he can adapt effortlessly to swinging the new ball or making clever changes in the final overs.
Decision: When matches needed to be turned around, Duffy delivered—making him the premier bowler of 2025.
5. Shai Hope (West Indies)
Hope doesn’t always make headlines, but his stats in 2025 are impossible to ignore. He scored 1,760 runs, just four runs behind Gill, making him the second-highest run-scorer globally. Playing 42 matches, the second most among the contenders, Hope played the dual role of wicketkeeper and top-order batsman with amazing composure. He scored 5 centuries and 9 half-centuries, providing credibility to a West Indies team that was finding its feet again.
His value goes beyond statistics. Hope’s calm leadership style and match-saving innings—particularly during the difficult New Zealand tour—were instrumental in the Caribbean’s resurgence.
Decision: Consistency, stamina, and excellence across formats makes Hope a genuine Sobers Trophy contender.
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