1 / 6The ICC Champions Trophy will be the biggest cricket tournament in 2025 this year. The top eight men’s cricket teams will be in action in 50-over cricket to claim the title of “Champions”. The 15-match long cricket tournament will see plenty of old and young talent come together. With the tournament just over 14 days away, we look at five exciting talents who can set the stage on fire.
2 / 6Yashavsi Jaiswal | India | Age: 23 | Yashasvi Jaiswal has been picked in India’s ODI squad for the first time. The dashing opener had a rollicking 2024 in Tests as he accumulated 1478 runs, the second most by a batter in the format in the year. Jaiswal’s aggressive game is tailormade for ODI cricket. Although India’s top-order is crowded with the likes of Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli taking up the first three spots in the batting order. If need be Jaiswal can either open or walk at no.3. The left-handed opener is an exciting prospect who deserves to play games during the tournament. (Image: AP)
3 / 6Jacob Bethell | England | Age: 21| Such has been Jacob Bethell’s initiation into international cricket that in just the first year of making debut for England, he has earned high praise from the likes of Ben Stokes and Alastair Cook. Bethell has made his mark as a hard-hitting batter who has the capacity to bowl left-arm spin and is also a livewire in the field. In the era where players are becoming specialized in a particular format of cricket, the 21-year-old has featured in all three formats. This Barbados-born player should excite the cricket fans with his all-round show. (Image: Reuters)
4 / 6Ben Sears | New Zealand | Age: 26 | Ben Sears is an out-and-out bowler who has the ability to bowl deliveries at over 140 kmph. The New Zealander made his international debut in 2021 in a T20 game against Bangladesh. Since then he has played 17 T20Is and picked 19 wickets. Sears’ Test debut came in March 2024 when he played a game against Australia at Christchurch. Sears X-factor is his “raw pace”. Sears could not tour India in the later half of 2024 due to an injury. Sears is now fit and is raring to go as New Zealand aim to win the Champions Trophy under Mitchell Santner. (Image: Reuters)
5 / 6AM Ghazanfar | Afghanistan | Age: 18 | Afghan spinner Ghazanfar has raced to 21 wickets from his first 11 ODI innings. In this span he has picked two three-wicket hauls, a five-for, and a six-for. Veteran cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle in a recent video essay on the “Players to watch out for in 2025” mentioned Ghazanfar’s name as the player that he will be closely following. Ghazanfar’s talent was further validated when he was bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹4.80 crore at the 2025 IPL mega auction. To watch Rashid Khan and Ghazanfar bowl in tandem and strangle the opposition batters should be a compelling prospect for the cricket fans (Image: ACB)
6 / 6Nahid Rana | Bangladesh | Age: 22 | According to an ESPNCRICINFO piece Nahid Rana is the “most talked about fast bowler in Bangladesh right now”. The 22-year-old has the ability to consistently bowl at the speeds of over 140kmph. Nahid has picked 20 wickets in six Tests including a five-wicket haul. In First Class cricket he has claimed 83 wickets in 21 matches. Nahid is surely a player to watch during the tournament. (Image: BCB)
