Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for December after playing a key role during the Ashes series. West Indies all-rounder Justin Greaves and New Zealand fast bowler Jacob Duffy are also among the nominees for the prestigious award.
On Thursday, the ICC announced the nominees for the Men’s Player of the Month award for December. The month saw heavy cricket action across all formats, with India and South Africa playing a white-ball series, New Zealand hosting a Test against the West Indies, and Australia taking on England in the Ashes.
Mitchell Starc played a key role in Australia’s Ashes series win over England
Mitchell Starc played an important role for Australia during the Ashes series in December. The left-arm fast bowler made significant contributions with both ball and bat in the three Test matches.
Starc took 16 wickets in the series and scored 139 runs. In the second Test, he took eight wickets and scored 77 runs, earning the Player of the Match award. His 6/75 in the first innings helped Australia regain control early.
In the third Test in Adelaide, Starc again performed well when it mattered. He scored 54 runs and took four wickets, helping Australia win the Ashes series. His ability to take early wickets and add valuable runs down the order played a big role in Australia retaining the Ashes.
Jacob Duffy breaks Richard Hadlee’s record after sensational Test series
Jacob Duffy performed brilliantly in the home test series against the West Indies national cricket team. The fast bowler led the New Zealand attack and troubled the opposition batsmen with his swing and accuracy.
Duffy took 23 wickets at an average of 15.43 in three Test matches, helping the New Zealand national cricket team win the series 2–0. His performances remained consistent throughout the series and he played a major role in both victories.
Following New Zealand’s success, Duffy was named Player of the Series. He also finished the year with a great performance. In 2025, he finished as New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker across all formats with 81 wickets, breaking the long-standing record of 79 wickets set by Richard Hadlee in 1985.
Justin Greaves’ courageous 202 saves West Indies in New Zealand Test
Justin Greaves had an excellent month for the West Indies national cricket team during their Test tour of New Zealand. This all-rounder made a big impact with the bat and also did wonders with the ball.
Greaves scored 283 runs in three Test matches at an average of 56.60. His best performance came in the First Test in Christchurch, where he scored a crucial 202 not out in the fourth innings to save the match for his team.
West Indies were under immense pressure while chasing the difficult target of 530 runs. At the end of the match they reached 457 for six, with Greaves holding one end and guiding the team to a draw through patience and smart shot selection.
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