As Indian cricket reflects on a landmark 2025 filled with transition, experimentation, and explosive performances, former off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has offered his verdict on the two players who defined the year for the national team. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin highlighted explosive opener as India’s breakout batting star and top-quality spinner as the most impactful bowler, underlining how both players have reshaped India’s white-ball identity heading into a crucial World Cup cycle.
Ravichandran Ashwin terms young opener as rare X-factor star
Ashwin reserved special praise for Abhishek Sharma, calling 2025 not just a breakthrough year but the arrival of a rare X-factor player for India. The left-handed opener enjoyed a phenomenal run in T20Is, piling up 859 runs in 21 matches at an average of 42.95 and a breathtaking strike rate of 193.46. His tally included a century and five half-centuries, numbers that reflect both consistency and carnage.
“It’s not just the arrival of Abhishek Sharma; it’s probably the arrival of India’s next-generation X-factor player. If there is one player who I have to name who had the best year for India in 2025, it has to be him because he has batted so well,” said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
According to Ashwin, what separates Abhishek from other attacking batters is the way he has redefined India’s approach in the powerplay. Rather than merely providing quick starts, the youngster has imposed himself from ball one, forcing bowling sides into defensive modes early in the innings. Ashwin described this shift as a reimagination of India’s powerplay batting template, something the team had been searching for in recent years.
While firmly established in T20Is, Ashwin expressed his desire to see the opener tested in ODIs, believing his fearless strokeplay could translate well to the 50-over format. Ashwin went a step further by projecting Abhishek as a frontrunner for India’s men’s cricketer of the year, a bold statement that underscores the scale of his impact in 2025.
“He has reimagined India’s powerplay batting and has been exceptional. I would love to see him in the ODI format as well. I think his red-ball credentials will be worked upon. I believe he will probably be the men’s team player of the year,” the Chennai-born added.
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Ashwin labels spin sensation as a huge MVP for India
While Abhishek lit up stadiums with the bat, Ashwin identified Varun Chakravarthy as India’s standout bowler of the year. Terming him a “huge MVP,” Ashwin highlighted how Chakravarthy consistently delivered whenever the team turned to him, often breaking partnerships and choking scoring rates in the middle overs.
Ashwin pointed out that Varun’s greatest strength lies in his unpredictability. Despite the growing familiarity of mystery spin in T20 cricket, batters have continued to struggle against him, finding it difficult to read his variations off the hand. This ability, Ashwin believes, will be central to India’s ambitions at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
“I will pick Varun Chakravarthy as India’s bowler of the year. He was a huge MVP. Whenever the team used him, he showed that X-factor. People have found it hard to pick him. His fortunes will be very key to India’s chances at the 2026 T20 World Cup as well. Secondly, he is a T20 bowler,” explained Ashwin.
Beyond the numbers, Ashwin dwelled on Chakravarthy’s remarkable journey of reinvention. After being sidelined from the national setup, the spinner went back to the grind, bowling in lower divisions in Chennai and seeking opportunities as a net bowler. His performances in the Tamil Nadu Premier League played a key role in his resurgence, showcasing his skills to scouts and selectors once again.
“He was out of the side, then he reinvented himself and came back, and now he is at the top of the T20I rankings. He started mystery bowling, bowled in the fifth division in Chennai, then asked for a chance in net bowling, came back and bowled well, and showed all the scouts how he bowled in the TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League). It has been a journey to remember,” Ashwin added further.
