Advertisement
Advertisement
DUBAI: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December 2025, following a series of match-winning performances in the 4-1 Ashes triumph at home.
Starc edged out West Indies batter Justin Greaves and New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy for the honour.
The left-arm quick played a central role throughout the Ashes, setting the tone early with a 10-wicket haul in the opening Test in Perth before backing it up with eight wickets in Brisbane.
He continued to make telling contributions in the latter half of the series, claiming four wickets each in Adelaide and Melbourne to finish December with 16 wickets for the month.
Starc’s influence was not limited to the ball. Timely half-centuries in Brisbane and Adelaide added valuable runs down the order and helped Australia establish an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.
Australia eventually sealed the Ashes 4-1, with Starc finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 31 scalps and collecting the Player of the Series award for his all-round impact.
“It’s an honour to be named the ICC Player of the Month, and even more special that it came on the back of such a successful home Ashes,” Starc said.
“Playing a part in winning such an iconic series in front of our home crowd is something we will all cherish for a long time.”
Looking ahead, he underlined the importance of sustaining Australia’s recent momentum as the side targets further success in the longest format.
“As a team, we’ve had some outstanding performances in recent years. The focus now is on building that momentum towards next year’s ICC World Test Championship Final,” he added.
The award marks Starc’s first ICC Men’s Player of the Month recognition and ends a two-year wait for an Australian winner, with Pat Cummins having last claimed the honour in December 2023.
READ: India suffer major blow as key player ruled out of New Zealand T20Is
