Top 5 players to watch out for from Sydney Thunder in upcoming BBL 2025-26
In the Big Bash League (BBL) 2025/26, the Sydney Thunder will open their campaign on December 16 against the Hobart Hurricanes at the Bellerive Oval. In the previous season of the tournament, they finished in third position of the points table under the leadership of David Warner, thanks to five wins in 10 games at a net run rate of +0.340.
This year, Warner will continue to lead the side. Before the season, they made the exciting announcement of signing India’s Ravichandran Ashwin, who later got ruled out of the event due to a knee injury. Still, they have the veteran spin all-rounder of Pakistan, Shadab Khan, along with some terrific bowlers to earn success. In terms of match prediction, Thunder is likely to face a close encounter against Hobart in their first game.
A look at the top five players to watch out for from the Sydney Thunder in upcoming BBL 2025/26
1. David Warner
There is no doubt that their captain, David Warner, will be a massively vital player for the season. The left-handed opening batter, who retired from the international cricket at the start of last year, is full of experience in the shortest format of the game. Warner has overall collected 13595 runs in 423 innings of the shortest format at an average of 36.44 and a strike rate of 140.25 with the help of eight centuries and 23 fifties.
The 39-year-old got 405 runs in the last season of the BBL in 12 innings at an average of 45 and a strike rate of 141 with the help of three half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 88 runs. Moreover, his role in the field will be crucial in field placements and rotating the bowlers.
2. Shadab Khan
In the absence of Ashwin, Pakistan’s Shadab Khan will need to take more responsibility in the spin bowling department for the Sydney Thunder side. In 222 innings, the right-handed batter has clubbed 3402 runs at an average of 18.59 and a strike rate of 136.35 with the help of 12 half-centuries at the best score of 91 runs. With the ball, he has 345 wickets at an economy rate of 7.57.
Shadab will return to the league for three seasons. In the 2022/23 edition, he featured for the Hobart Hurricanes and cracked 58 runs at a strike rate of 107.40 and picked up seven wickets. If Shadab does well, it will also open a door for him to return to the national side.
3. Sam Billings
Sam Billings is expected to bat in the middle order of the Thunder side. That’s where he will be vital to face the spinners and counter them with either singles and doubles or even the big shots if required. In 359 innings, the right-handed batter has smashed 7238 T20 runs at a strike rate of 133.76 with the help of one century and 35 fifties.
In the previous season of the BBL, the England batter nailed 271 runs for the Thunder at a strike rate of 132.84. But the franchise will hope for a better performance from him this year.
4. Chris Green
Chris Green, since the beginning of the BBL, has always been a vital member of the Thunder side with spin in the middle order. His four overs, along with Shadab, will decide the fate of several games for the Thunders. In 262 innings of T20s, he has collected 243 wickets at an economy rate of just over seven, besides smacking 1997 runs at a strike rate of 137.34.
Last year, Green bagged 12 wickets in 11 innings at an economy rate of 7.34. He can also contribute with the bat in the lower order with a few runs, which will be really beneficial.
5. Sam Konstas
Sam Konstas is still new in the shortest format with 122 runs in five T20s at a strike rate of 128.42, thanks to two half-centuries at the best score of 56. Those five games came for the Thunder in the previous edition of the league. Later, he played the Test series for Australia against India in the BGT 2024/25.
This time, he is expected to get a long stretch in his career, with no potential chance to get back in the shortest format. And there is scope for him to collect brutal runs with Warner at the opening position.
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