![Mitchell Starc and Mohammed Siraj [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768493240133_MitchellStarcandMohammedSiraj.jpg?type=hq)
Mitchell Starc and Mohammed Siraj [Source: AFP]
Mitchell Starc and Laura Wolvaardt won the ICC Player of the Month awards for the month of December 2025. The BPL 2025-26 season will likely be suspended by the BCB owing to the rising player’s unrest in the country. In other news, Mohammed Siraj has been appointed as Hyderabad captain in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season.
Capping an eventful day in the world of cricket, here we take a look at five of the biggest cricketing news that emerged out of Thursday, January 15.
Mitchell Starc, Laura Wolvaardt win ICC Player of the Month awards
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc won the ICC Player of the Month award for the month of December 2025, eclipsing fellow nominees Jacob Duffy (New Zealand) and Justin Greaves (West Indies). The legendary paceman won the award on a trail of a successful Ashes campaign at home against England. In the three Test matches he played in the month of December, Mitchell Starc picked up 16 English wickets, including eight in Brisbane. The cricketer also listed successive match-winning half-centuries with the bat.
South African captain Laura Wolvaardt won the award under the women’s category for mounting 392 runs in five innings in home white-ball fixtures against Ireland Women.
Devdutt Padikkal registers rare failure in Vijay Hazare Trophy semifinal
Karnataka run machine Devdutt Padikkal registered a rare batting failure on the big day, i.e., in the semifinal of the 2025-26 Vijay Hazare Trophy season. Opening the innings for Karnataka against Vidarbha at the CoE 1 in Bengaluru, the left-handed batter was dismissed for just four from 19 balls by Yash Thakur as Karnataka folded up for 280 in 49.4 overs.
After plundering four hundreds and two half-centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 season, the RCB batter concluded his tournament run with 725 runs in just nine innings at an astonishing average of 90.62.
Finn Allen blasts 53-ball 101 for Perth Scorchers in BBL 2025-26
Explosive New Zealand top-order batter Finn Allen blasted 101 runs off just 53 balls against Melbourne Renegades in match number 36 of the BBL 2025-26 season at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne.
Opening the innings for the Perth Scorchers, the cricketer smeared five fours and eight huge sixes to notch up his fifth T20 century, and his first since getting acquired by the KKR franchise for the upcoming IPL 2026 season. Finn Allen’s innings catapulted Perth Scorchers to a match-winning total of 219-7 in 20 overs.
BPL 2025-26 suspension looms large by BCB
The BCB will likely be suspending the ongoing BPL 2025-26 season amidst the cricketer’s uprising against the board. It is worth noting that Bangladesh cricketers are still refusing to withdraw their nationwide cricketing boycott, even though the BCB has relieved controversial Finance Committee chairman M Nazmul Islam from his duties following his questionable remarks against legendary opener Tamim Iqbal as well as against Bangladesh players overall.
The two BPL 2025-26 matches set to be played on January 15 at the Sher-e Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur were both postponed to an undetermined date as none of the four teams arrived to the venue as part of their boycott.
Mohammed Siraj to lead Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy 2025-26
India fast bowler Mohammed Siraj has been appointed as Hyderabad captain for the remainder of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season. The legendary speedster will be replacing Tilak Varma, who has been ruled out of action owing to a testicular torsion.
Hyderabad is scheduled to resume its Ranji Trophy campaign from January 22 onwards next week with a match against Mumbai in Hyderabad.
