Guwahati: India’s pace spearhead Mohammed Siraj has been crowned the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for August 2025, following his sensational performance in the final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy at The Oval.
Despite featuring in just one match during the month, Siraj turned the game on its head with a brilliant nine-wicket haul across both innings. His fiery five-wicket burst in the second innings ripped through England’s batting order and secured India a series-leveling win, making him the Player of the Match as well.
The 30-year-old outpaced competition from New Zealand’s Matt Henry and West Indies’ Jayden Seales to bag the monthly honour.
Reacting to the award, Siraj called it a proud and memorable moment: “It is a special honour to be named ICC Player of the Month. The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was one of the most intense contests I’ve been part of. This award is for my teammates and support staff too, because their encouragement brought out the best in me.”
Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar praised Siraj’s contributions, saying his role in India’s success has often been “underplayed” despite his consistency in high-pressure situations.
The Hyderabad pacer also reached his career-best Test ranking after the Oval heroics. He was the only Indian fast bowler to play all five Tests of the series, finishing as India’s leading wicket-taker with 23 wickets at an average of 32.43, including two five-wicket hauls.
Looking ahead, Siraj vowed to keep improving: “I will continue to work hard and give my best every time I wear the India jersey.”