Harry Brook (England)
The Ashes was supposed to be the coming of age for Harry Brook. England’s future batting star and all-format captain was breathtaking, no doubt, but ended up leaving England fans gasping for air. Successive reckless shots at inopportune moments after getting a rapid start left many experts, including Stuart Broad, wondering where his game sense is.
Still, it was the same unhinged batting philosophy that gave England a crucial 59 runs in the two-day Test win in Melbourne. If only Brook had shown a bit more resolve earlier in the Ashes series where he got out for a single-digit score only once, England might not have lost the urn so emphatically and early.
It was the same reluctance to ease on the pedal which cost England the Oval Test against India where he was batting on 111 with victory just 63 runs away and with seven wickets in hand.
Brook is being prepared to take over as the leader and main batter in all formats. He clearly has the technique and temperament to switch his game on demand. The new year offers another chance to make up for all the moments of agony – the T20 World Cup in the subcontinent.
Granted, Brook has had a frayed history with cricket in India, mostly IPL, but this should be right up his alley. He has the squad as well that complements his bravado. Brook played his part in guiding England to the 2022 T20 world title in Australia. This time, he is leading an even stronger contingent and with a lot more belief in himself.
Vaibhav Suryavanshi (India)
As soon as the T20 World Cup concludes, expect 14-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi to make his international debut. He might have received his India cap in 2025 itself, but preparations for the World Cup meant there was little room for experimentation and even guaranteed names like Shubman Gill fell out of reckoning.
Suryavanshi has been on a century scoring spree across age-group levels and should walk right into the playing XI alongside the equally devastating Abhishek Sharma. Since he has already tasted top-level competition in the IPL, and aced it with a stunning century, the precocious left-hander should not find the jump to senior international cricket too big a leap.
Failure in the recent U19 Asia Cup final against Pakistan, and his erratic behaviour during it, shows he still has a lot to learn. But as a batter, the baby-faced opener is ready.
Aiden Markram (South Africa)
South Africa are becoming a force to be reckoned with in international cricket. They came within a hair’s breadth of the 2024 T20 World Cup title, before easing the pain of years of near misses by winning the World Test Championship crown this year.
Coincidentally, their leading batter Aiden Markram’s performance mirrored those results, failing in the T20 final against India and putting in a player-of-the-match performance against Australia – a century and crucial wickets with his spin - to hand the Proteas their first world title.
He will captain South Africa during the T20 World Cup. And given the experience of his wards in subcontinent conditions and leagues, South Africa will be among the hot favourites. They are almost every tournament, but they now know how to reach and win knockout games.
This is a particularly talented bunch of South African cricketers with the perfect mix of experience and youth. If South Africa are to dominate the coming years in cricket, this could be the start and Markram should be at the front end of it, although his batting form in T20s in 2025 was lukewarm, averaging under 25.
Saim Ayub (Pakistan)
We don’t know for sure where exactly Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan stand in Pakistan cricket. Star pacer Shaheen Afridi has seen his long-standing knee injury return, and that, too, right before the T20 World Cup. Even if everything falls back into place soon, Pakistan cricket needs a new name to inject life into the system. Saim Ayub is that player.
The swashbuckling left-handed batter now has enough experience under his belt to assert himself more aggressively not only on the opposition but also on the landscape of Pakistan cricket.
There is a dearth star Pakistan cricketers. Ayub has what it takes to become a world-class match winner but also the face that brings fans to the stadiums and sells merchandise. His mystery off-spin bowling and unique batting style are perfect for modern cricket. This has to be the year Ayub becomes the superstar many are expecting him to be.
Muhammad Waseem (UAE)
The UAE have qualified for the T20 World Cup, which is a great source of relief as their fortunes in 50-over cricket have swung wildly. Whether the national team have the right structure and personnel in place for sustained excellence, at least at Associate level, is a matter of debate. For now, it is all about the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
Captain Muhammad Waseem is not only the most senior batter of the side but a regular figure on the T20 circuit. Several national team players hit the jackpot during the recent player auction at the International League T20, underscoring the quality of cricketers thriving in the system.
Which is why UAE captain Waseem has said the team is not looking to just participate but also make it to the latter stages of the T20 World Cup.
If they succeed in fulfilling even a portion of that promise, it will be a huge victory for UAE cricket.
