Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India’s most respected cricket thinkers, used his Ash ki Baat YouTube show in December 2025 to announce his picks for India’s top performers 2025 cricket season. While many expected him to highlight established stars like Shubman Gill, Ashwin instead named mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and explosive opener Abhishek Sharma as the stand‑out performers of 2025.
The veteran off‑spinner praised Chakravarthy as India’s “bowler of the year” and hailed Sharma as the arrival of the next‑generation X‑factor player. This article explores Ashwin picks of India’s best player comments, reviews both players’ numbers and considers what their rise means for Indian cricket.
Ashwin’s Picks Explained – Why Varun Chakravarthy And Abhishek Sharma?
On his channel, Ashwin highlighted Varun Chakravarthy’s transformation from an architect to an international match‑winner. “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.”
It has been difficult to pick him, people have found, Ashwin said. The off-spinner said that the fortunes of Chakravarthy will be important to India in the 2026 T20 World Cup, and he has been impressed by the manner in which he has come back into the team following his injury.
Ashwin also had to admit that the spinner had helped in the success of the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup, where he had taken key wickets. Turning to Abhishek Sharma, Ashwin described the left‑hander as “India’s next‑generation X‑factor player”.
He applauded the opener’s ability to reimagine India’s powerplay batting, pointing out that Sharma has “batted so well” and deserves a chance in the ODI format. The promotion by Ashwin was regardless of the bigger names like Shubman Gill or Ruturaj Gaikwad stealing the show, which demonstrated his performance-based philosophy.
Key Reasons Behind Ashwin’s Selections
Consistent impact
Chakravarthy produced match‑defining spells across formats, particularly in T20Is and the Champions Trophy, making him India’s most reliable wicket‑taker.
Mystery and control
Ashwin pointed out that batsmen have difficulty choosing the variation of Chakravarthy, calling him a natural T20 bowler, and his control is fundamental in decisive moments.
Powerplay revolution
The fearless batting of Abhishek Sharma reshaped the strategy of India during the initial six overs, with their huge strike rate accompanied by prolific run-making.
Emerging X‑factor
Ashwin is optimistic that with the coming of Sharma, India has got the next generation of talent and that the left-hander is going to fill in in the ODIs and possibly the Test cricket.
Mentorship motive
Through naming young performers, Ashwin conveys the message that through hard work and influence, hierarchies can be overcome.
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Varun Chakravarthy’s 2025 Season – Mystery Spinner Becomes Bowler Of The Year
Varun Chakravarthy had a breakout calendar year in 2025. The right-arm leg-spinner took 36 wickets in 20 T20Is (18 innings) with an excellent average of 13.19 and an economy of 7.08, the highest number of which is 5/24 in a four and five-wicket haul respectively.
Those figures saw him become the leading wicket-taker in T20Is by India in 2025 and the joint-leading in the world wicket-taker with Mohammad Nawaz of Pakistan. He was very much superior to the South African opposition, where he won 10 wickets in four games at an average of 11.20 and economy 7.46, and thus was named Player of the Series.
Chakravarthy has also played in the ODI format and has taken 10 wickets in four ODIs at an average of 19.00 and an economy rate of 4.75. He had scored 9 wickets in the ICC Champions Trophy, which shows that he can give his best in multi-nation events.
The story of the spinner who has grown to be an architect, TNPL star and an ICC No. 1 T20I bowler is one of perseverance and the importance of domestic cricket.
Varun Chakravarthy – Key 2025 Statistics
| Format | Matches | Wickets | Average | Economy | Strike rate | Best figures |
| ODIs | 4 | 10 | 19 | 4.75 | – | 4/53 |
| T20Is | 20 (18 innings) | 36 | 13.19 | 7.08 | 11.16 | 5/24 |
Chakravarthy’s ability to disguise his googly and slider made him almost unreadable. Ashwin noted that the spinner’s technique evolved after being dropped early in his career. He spent time in club cricket, honed his craft in the Tamil Nadu Premier League and returned as a more complete bowler.
His economy rate of 7.08 in T20Is and knack for breakthroughs in the powerplay and middle overs make him a vital cog in India’s white‑ball plans.
Abhishek Sharma’s 2025 Season – Powerplay Pioneer And Batting Phenom
The left‑handed opener recorded one of the greatest T20I batting years by an Indian. Sharma amassed 859 runs from 21 T20Is at an average of 42.95 and an astonishing strike rate of 193.46, including one century and five fifties.
In 2025, nobody among Indian batters could match his volumetric and scoring rate. His number of boundaries, 85 fours and 54 sixes, indicates that he was so ruthless in punishing attacks.
The climax was in February 2025 in the Wankhede Stadium, where Sharma hit 135 runs on 54 balls, hitting the English battlers with seven fours and 13 sixes and drove India to 247/9. He had hit his half-century in 17 balls and hit his century in only 37 deliveries, the second-fastest hundred by an Indian in T20Is.
Ashwin emphasized that the way Sharma played fearlessly through his stroke-play had revived the powerplay batting of India. Although Sharma has not played a single ODI, Ashwin encouraged the selectors to give him a chance as his talents may transfer into other forms.
Across all T20s (international, IPL and domestic), he scored 1,602 runs in 2025, the second‑highest annual tally by an Indian after Virat Kohli’s 2016 haul.
Abhishek Sharma – Key 2025 Statistics
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike rate | 100s/50s | Highest score |
| T20Is | 21 | 859 | 42.95 | 193.46 | 1/5 | 135 |
| ODIs | – | – | – | – | – | – |
Impact On Indian Cricket & Other Stars
In choosing Ashwin, there is a change in the approach of the Indians to the white-ball game. He emphasized the value of diversity and purpose by placing Chakravarthy and Sharma in the limelight.
A mystery spinner and an aggressive left‑hander complement established stars like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, whom Ashwin praised for their hunger to win the 50‑over World Cup. He noted that both seniors have maintained the fire to perform despite retiring from Test cricket, but he deliberately chose not to name them as 2025’s best because the youngsters’ impact was more transformative.
Chakravarthy’s rise gives India a potent middle‑overs wicket‑taker, vital for the 2026 T20 World Cup. His ability to strangulate runs and take wickets in clusters reduces the reliance on pacers.
Sharma presents India with a left- hand right-hand combination of the game and the opportunity of attacking on the first ball. They would be able to transform the way India deals with limited-overs cricket together.
Future Prospects – Looking Ahead To 2026 And Beyond
India will gain an opportunity to win the T20 World Cup 2026 after their thrilling win in the Champions Trophy final 2025 against New Zealand. Moreover, Ashwin thinks that Varun Chakravarthy will be a crucial element towards success. The difficulty faced by the spinner will be to keep fit and change as the batsmen learn his variations.
In the case of Abhishek Sharma, the short-term objective entails securing an ODI debut and broadening his game to the 50-over format, but with the powerplay aggression, he will be able to make a difference. Groomers can also think about taking him to Tests because he is perfecting his method.
Other players of India, such as Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad, are also good performers, but it is shown by the choices of Ashwin that outstanding impact can bring the players to the front. His decision-making power can be seen in his IPL team, the Chennai Super Kings, as well. Now that Chakravarthy and Sharma are on the rise, they could make them role models for young cricketers to adopt innovation and strength.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
- Who did Ravichandran Ashwin pick as India’s top performers in 2025 cricket?
Ashwin has identified mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and explosive opener Abhishek Sharma as India emerging players of the year 2025, due to their ability to make the Indian team win matches in a consistent manner. - Why did Ashwin choose Varun Chakravarthy as bowler of the year?
Ashwin was convinced that Chakravarthy made some crucial breakthroughs with each ball, making him the largest wicket-taker in T20Is with 36 wickets at 13.19 and he gave a wicket-taking performance at the Champions Trophy and during the South Africa series. - What were Varun Chakravarthy’s bowling statistics in 2025?
Chakravarthy took 36 T20I wickets at an average of 13.19 and economy 7.08, with best figures 5/24, and also claimed 10 ODI wickets in four matches at 19.00. - How many runs did Abhishek Sharma score in T20Is in 2025?
Sharma amassed 859 runs in 21 T20Is at an average of 42.95 and strike rate of 193.46, including a highest score of 135 off 54 balls against England. - What did Ashwin say about Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli?
Ashwin acknowledged that both Rohit and Kohli remain hungry to win another 50‑over World Cup and continue to put in the hard yards despite stepping away from Test cricket.
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