As 2025 draws to a close, legendary spinner Ravichandran Ashwin reflected on Team India’s stand-out performers this year.

Starting with the bowler, Ashwin hailed Varun Chakaravarthy as India's best, highlighting how the top batters around the world found it difficult to pick the mystery spinner.

"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. People have found it hard to pick him," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel Ash ki Baat.

"His fortunes will be very key to India's chances at the 2026 T20 World Cup as well. Secondly, he is a T20 bowler," he noted.

Chakaravarthy emerged as one of India's most reliable wicket-takers in white-ball cricket this year, claiming 10 wickets in four ODIs and 36 scalps in 20 T20Is.

Ashwin also reflected on Varun’s resurgence to top after being sidelined earlier in his career. "He was out of the side, then he reinvented himself and came back, and now he is at the top of the T20I rankings. He was an architect-cricket was not his first profession. He started mystery bowling, bowled in the fifth division in Chennai, then asked for a chance in net bowling, came back and bowled well, and showed all the scouts how he bowled in the TNPL (Tamil Nadu Premier League). It has been a journey to remember," he said.

"From an Indian perspective, Varun Chakravarthy is the bowler of the year for me," he added.

Coming to the batter, Ashwin was effusive in praise of Abhishek Sharma, expecting the left-handed opener to be India's next-generation X-factor.

"It's not just the arrival of Abhishek Sharma; it's probably the arrival of India's next-generation X-factor player," Ashwin said.

"If there is one player who I have to name who had the best year for India in 2025, it has to be him because he has batted so well," he further remarked.

Abhishek had a prolific 2025 in T20Is, aggregating 859 runs in 21 matches at an average of 42.95 and a remarkable strike rate of 193.46, including a hundred and five half-centuries.

"He has reimagined India's powerplay batting and has been exceptional. I would love to see him in the ODI format as well. I think his red-ball credentials will be worked upon. I believe he will probably be the men's team player of the year," Ashwin stated.

Commenting on Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Ashwin said the hunger to win an ODI World Cup continues to drive both stalwarts.

"For both Rohit and Virat, the fire is there to win that 50-over World Cup, and they are putting in all their efforts. It is important that we enjoy every single match that they are giving us," he said.

"In many ways, they have redefined the year. It has not been an easy one in terms of Test cricket as both of them have retired, and there was a lot of talk about their chances, but they have come back and played really well in the ODI series," he noted.

Both Rohit and Kohli have carried their brilliant form into the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, with Rohit smashing a brilliant 155 for Mumbai, while Kohli has played knocks of 131 and 77 for Delhi.

(With ANI Inputs)