The cricket world came to a halt on December 22, 2025 jacob duffy officially entered the pantheon new zealandBecame great by breaking a record that many people considered untouchable.
NZ vs WI: Jacob Duffy leaves behind the legacy of New Zealand great Sir Richard Hadlee
By dismissing the last West Indies batsman at Mount Maunganui During the third and final testDuffy made his numbers staggering 81 wickets in a calendar yearembracing mythology Sir Richard Hadlee’s record of 79 wickets in 1985The feat is all the more remarkable as it came in a year when Duffy served as the best “marathon man” for the Black Caps, bowling more than 154 overs in the Test series against the West Indies alone, Hadlee’s record stood as the standard of excellence for four decades, representing the pinnacle of Kiwi fast bowling longevity and skill, yet Duffy managed to find a higher gear through sheer volume and effectiveness,
In the final Test of the year, he took a match-winning five-wicket haul of 9 and won the Player of the Series award with 23 wickets at a ridiculous average of 15.4. Throughout the season, Duffy flourished in the absence of senior bowlers such as matt henry And kyle jamisonI am fulfilling the responsibility of new and old ball with equal intensity. His ability to maintain pace and swing in 36 international matches this year proved that he is no longer just a supporting player, but the leading man of the attack. As he stood at Bay Oval, rewriting the history books, the applause of the crowd acknowledged a new king of the statistical mountain in New Zealand cricket.
| player | Year | Matchbox | Wicket | best figures | 5-wicket hauls |
| jacob duffy | 2025 | 36 | 81 | 5/34 | 3 |
| richard hadley | 1985 | 23 | 79 | 9/52 | 6 |
| Daniel Vettori | 2008 | 33 | 76 | 6/56 | 5 |
| trent bolt | 2015 | 25 | 72 | 5/27 | 3 |
| trent bolt | 2017 | 27 | 69 | 7/34 | 2 |
| Chris Cairns | 1999 | 30 | 68 | 7/27 | 4 |
| Daniel Vettori | 2004 | 34 | 66 | 6/28 | 5 |
| trent bolt | 2018 | 27 | 66 | 6/30 | 3 |
| Tim Southee | 2022 | 31 | 65 | 5/35 | 1 |
| matt henry | 2025 | 27 | 65 | 6/39 | 3 |
Also read: Top 5 biggest opening partnerships for New Zealand in Tests. Devon Conway and Tom Latham
2025 renaissance for Duffy: Global dominance and Royal Challengers Bangalore call-up
Beyond the record-breaking numbers, 2025 proved to be a definite breakout year for Duffy, as he became the leading wicket-taker in world cricket across all formats. His rise began in March when he touched the world No. 1 spot in the ICC T20I bowling rankings after a disastrous series against Pakistan, where he repeatedly demolished their top order with his signature outswing. He proved to be a versatile weapon, taking 35 wickets in 21 T20Is and 21 wickets in 11 ODIs, showing that his art was effective regardless of the color of the ball or the nature of the pitch.
Duffy’s red-ball transition was equally seamless; After making his long-awaited Test debut in August against zimbabweHe finished the year with 25 Test wickets in just four matches. This incredible cross-format consistency didn’t go unnoticed by scouts Indian Premier Leaguewhich led to a life-changing moment ipl 2026 auction,
In Abu Dhabi, the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)secured Duffy at a ‘bargain’ price of Rs 2 crore to strengthen their pace battery. Josh HazlewoodRCB Director of Cricket, mo bobatpraised the signing as a masterstroke, noting that Duffy’s ability to swing the ball at the Chinnaswamy Stadium would be a key asset to their title defence.