The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed three nominees for the Men’s Player of the Month award for July 2025. India’s impressive captain and two stylish all-rounders from England and South Africa have made it into the nominations after their exceptional performances in the longest format in July 2025.

Shubman Gill, from India, smashed 567 runs at an average of 94.50 in three Tests during India’s 2-2 drawn series in England. He smashed a record-breaking knock of 269 runs in the first innings of the second Edgbaston Test before cracking 150 in the second innings. His 430 runs across two innings is the second-highest tally, next only to Graham Gooch’s 456 runs.

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Landing in the United Kingdom two months ago, in the absence of the two veterans, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, he had so much pressure on his shoulders. He displayed incredible consistency at number four, carrying the baton from the former captain Kohli, and showed stability and flair with extraordinary performance in the red-ball series.

ICC names Men's Player of the Month nominees for July 2025

The second nominee of the list is the South African all-rounder, Wiaan Mulder, who scored 531 runs across two matches at an astonishing average of 265.50, including a composed 147 in the second innings of the opening game at Bulawayo against Zimbabwe. He also picked up seven wickets at 15.28 with a four-wicket haul.

Mulder smashed 367 runs in the maiden outing as the captain of the Proteas, which is the highest individual score for the Rainbow Nation in Test history. The third and final nominee of the list is Ben Stokes, the England captain, who scored 251 runs in July 2025 at an average of 50.20 and took 12 wickets at 26.33.

Stokes was named the player of the match in successive games- first at Lord’s for his all-round show that shouldered them to victory before he picked up 5/72 during the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. In that fixture, the left-handed batter ended his Test century drought of two years as they piled up 669 runs in the first innings.

Since Joe Root surpassed Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, and Rahul Dravid in the ladder of the most Test runs of all-time to be in the back seat of Sachin Tendulkar, the talk of the town is only on the prediction of when and how he could break the record. But will they decide to pull him off the race and decide not to chase the record?

The discussion happened on the Star Sports studio as they reflected on the recent incident of Wiaan Mulder denying the chance to break Brian Lara’s 400-run record against Zimbabwe at the Queens Park Oval in Bulawayo. Will Joe take the same route and make the decision? The former Indian wicket-keeper, Parthiv Patel, certainly doesn’t think so.

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‘Not, he should not do it at all!! I mean, you are scoring runs, and the record belongs to you. I wasn’t convinced by what Mulder did. When Matthew Hayden broke the record for the first time, it was also against Zimbabwe in Perth. He didn’t deny that. So when you are in a situation like that, then why not? And Joe Root is quite near.’ Parthiv Patel expressed on Star Sports.

Watch: Parthiv Patel reflects on whether Joe Root will choose not to chase Sachin Tendulkar’s Test record

Patel made a valid point that Root stands at a position of being possibly the only person to break the record. With the amount of Tests played around the globe and the loss of attention to the oldest format of the game, it’s unlikely for anyone to get to the mark.

Should #JoeRoot pull a #WiaanMulder move and choose not to chase down #SachinTendulkar’s iconic record for most runs in Tests? 👀

🗣 #ParthivPatel shares his thoughts! #ENGvIND 👉 4th TEST, DAY 4 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar 👉 https://t.co/xkvCs073fI pic.twitter.com/TNWaUUgZRl

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 26, 2025

‘A few years ago, people used to say that the record is there; you know, records are made to be broken. But realistically, if there is anyone who can break the record, then it’s Joe Root. If he can’t break it, then I don’t think anyone can. You know, you don’t play that amount of Test matches. So, if someone can break the record of 15921 runs, then it’s not Root.’ Patel addressed.

Currently, Root has 13409 runs in 286 innings at an average of 51.17 and a strike rate of 57.40, having scored 38 centuries and 66 half-centuries at the best score of 262. He is around 2500 runs behind Tendulkar’s 15921 runs in 329 innings.

South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has revealed that West Indies legend Brian Lara urged him to chase down the world record for the highest individual Test score, after Mulder came tantalisingly close during the recent match against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.

Mulder stunned the cricketing world by finishing unbeaten on 367 at lunch on day two of the one-off Test, before making the surprise call to declare South Africa’s innings at 626/5 just 33 runs short of Lara’s iconic 400 not out against England in 2004. Mulder was the stand-in captain for the match, with both Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj unavailable.

The decision to declare early helped South Africa dominate the game and wrap up victory inside three days. However, the move sparked widespread debate among fans and pundits, with many wondering if Mulder had passed up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

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Lara urged me to break his record, says Mulder

At the time, Mulder said he was at peace with his call. “You never know what is destined for me, but Brian Lara keeping that record is exactly the way it should be,” he remarked after the match. “He got 400 against England for someone of that stature, to keep that record is pretty special.” Now, Mulder has revealed that he recently spoke to Lara, who had an entirely different take on the matter.

“Now that things have settled a little bit, I've chatted a little bit to Brian Lara,” Mulder told SuperSport. “He said to me I'm creating my own legacy and I should have gone for it. He said records are there to be broken and he wishes if I'm ever in that position again, I actually go and score more than what he had.” Despite Lara’s encouragement, Mulder still stands by his original call, saying, “That was an interesting point of view from his side, but I still believe I did the right thing, and respecting the game is the most important part for me.”

For some amazing batting displays by the winner of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC 2025), the Zimbabwe vs. South Africa (ZIM vs. SA) Test match has been constantly maintaining a slot in the headlines. But another interesting part of the Test series is that the competition between these two teams will not count for the ongoing circle of WTC. But why? 

Due to the injury crisis and other issues, both teams were forced to change their usual Test squads. South Africa faced the host, Zimbabwe, without the service of their full-time skipper, Temba Bavuma. Bavuma was out of the series due to injury reasons. In place of him, Wiaan Mulder was in charge of leading the WTC 2025 winning side. With new responsibilities, Mulder did wonders with his bat and helped his team to gain an easy victory over Zimbabwe. 

But why will the series not count for the ongoing circle of the World Test Championship? The reason is simple. Only the top 9 teams of the ICC Test rankings are eligible to take part in the championship. Teams outside the top 9 will not count for the title race. Zimbabwe currently holds the 12th spot in the ICC Test rankings. They are placed after Ireland (10th) and Afghanistan (11th). As the ranking of the Craig Ervine-led team did not meet the criteria for participating in the championship, the series against South Africa was only a normal Test series. 

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ZIM vs SA: 2nd Test Match Highlights:

South Africa won the second Test match after winning the first of the two-match series against the home team with ease. SA won the game by an inning and 236 runs. Wiaan Mulder's historic 367-run unbeaten innings in Bulawayo put his team on the top of a pile of runs. South Africa, batting first, scored 626/5d in the first innings and pushed Zimbabwe to a near impossible job to do. Despite Sean Williams' unbeaten 83, Zimbabwe in their first innings got only 170 on the scoreboard. Prenelan Subrayen in the phase clinched 4 wickets for the visiting team.

In the second innings, Zimbabwe, on follow-on, grabbed only 220 before losing all of their 10 wickets. This time Corbin Bosch took 4 scalps. Thus, South Africa, the champion of WTC 2025, will take the return flight with a 2-0 series win. 

Zimbabwe pacer Kundai Matigimu has been fined 15% of his match fees for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the opening day of the second Test against South Africa in Bulawayo. The incident happened in the 72nd over of South Africa’s first innings when Matigimu, after fielding the ball in his follow-through, threw it at batter Lhuan-de Pretorius and hit him on the wrist at close range.

Matigimu was found guilty of breaching Article 2.9 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel. This article relates to “throwing a ball (or any other item of cricket equipment) at or near a player in an inappropriate and/or dangerous manner during an International Match.” The player admitted the offense and accepted the sanction proposed by Ranjan Madugalle of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, avoiding the need for a formal hearing.

In addition to the fine, one demerit point has been added to Matigimu’s disciplinary record. This is his first offense within a 24-month period. The ICC emphasized that such behavior, while not necessarily malicious, is taken seriously in the interest of player safety and the spirit of the game.

Mulder’s Record-Breaking Knock Lights Up Bulawayo

While the incident drew attention, the real highlight of the match was South Africa’s stand-in skipper Wiaan Mulder, who scored an unbeaten 367 off just 334 deliveries—now the highest-ever individual Test score by a South African cricketer. His marathon innings included 49 fours and 4 sixes and saw the Proteas to a massive first innings score.

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Mulder came in after two early wickets. He and David Bedingham steadied the innings and took South Africa to a strong position. His effort now stands as the fifth-highest individual score in Men’s Test history, behind only Brian Lara, Matthew Hayden, and Mahela Jayawardene. South Africa, already leading 1–0 in the series after a commanding 328-run win in the first Test, are in firm control as they push for a series sweep in Bulawayo.

South Africa’s stand-in Test skipper for the second Zimbabwe Test, Wiaan Mulder, declared on 367 not out at lunch on the second day of the fixture, despite being so close to Brian Lara’s world record of 400*. It was already the highest individual red-ball score by a Protea batter, going past Hashim Amla’s 311, which he got against England in 2012 at the Kennington Oval.

Mulder decided against chasing Brian Lara's record and opted to declare the first innings at 626/5. At the end of the day’s play, he disclosed that the decision came after a small meeting with the head coach, Shukri Conrad, as he was happy to let the legendary West Indies southpaw keep the big score in history. Mulder finished with the fifth-highest individual Test score in the history of the game.

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“You never know what is destined for me, but Brian Lara keeping that record (of the highest score in Tests) is exactly the way it should be. I thought we got enough from the new ball, and secondly, Brian Lara is a legend. He got 400 against England - for someone of that stature, to keep that record is pretty special.” The 27-year-old addressed Shaun Pollock. 

Watch: Wiaan Mulder declared a decision to avoid Brian Lara’s record

Given the amount of time left in the encounter, Mulder could have easily planned the record. However, more than that, it’s a great relief for the Proteas, who displayed trust in the batter to shoulder the responsibility at number three. After a couple of failures in the opening Test of the series and the WTC 2023-25 final against Australia at Lord’s, his return has impressed their coach.

“Wiaan’s innings was nothing short of extraordinary. Being the captain, then batting at No.3 where he had to absorb early pressure and face the new-ball, which he did with immense composure and control - it was unbelievable. It’s the kind of performance that anchors a team and sets the tone for the entire match. We’re incredibly proud of what he’s achieved today.” Conrad expressed at the end of the day's play.

"Let the legends keep the really big scores." ❤️

🇿🇦 Wiaan Mulder speaks to Shaun Pollock after his historic knock 👏#ZIMvSA | #SSCricket pic.twitter.com/VqySlzOzHY

— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) July 7, 2025

Zimbabwe were average in their first innings with the bat, getting bundled out for just 170, making the follow-on after the captain of the Rainbow Nations set the platform. The current WTC champions lead the series by 1-0 and could seal the deal by the end of the third day’s play.

Wiaan Mulder updated the pages of history books with his stunning 367* run knock. He took only 297 balls to complete his triple ton, maintaining a strike rate of over 100, which was not a usual scenario in a Test match even in the modern era. Despite scoring a triple hundred with a quick pace, the temporary skipper of South Africa was not able to break the record of former India international Virendra Sehwag. In the list of fastest players to score triple tons, Sehwag is still maintaining the top spot of the chart. 

Top 5 players to score the fastest 300 in Tests:

Virendra Sehwag

Back in 2008, when South Africa faced India in Chennai for a Test match, Virendra Sehwag scored the fastest 300 in the history of Test cricket. In 278 balls, the opener set a milestone that is yet to be broken. During this innings, the attacking batsman smashed 42 boundaries and five 6s to bag a 319-run innings before losing his wicket to Makhaya Ntini. The high-scoring match ended in a draw.

Wiaan Mulder

Wiaan Mulder stood tall and delivered the best innings of his career when Temba Bavuma was absent from the away series against Zimbabwe. Mulder needed only 297 balls to accomplish a 300 as a South African batsman, only after the formal international Hashim Amla. Mulder remained unbeaten for 367 off 334 before he decided to declare the innings. During his batting, the batter found the ropes 49 times for boundaries and hoisted the red ball for 4 maximums. 

Read More: Wiaan Mulder slams triple ton, joins Hashim Amla in South Africa’s elite Test records

Harry Brook

During a Test match against England in Multan in 2024, Pakistan faced the wrath of Harry Brook. The middle-order batter registered his 300 playing only 310 runs and remained not out for 317. England won the match by an innings and 47 runs as they got 823/7d on the scoreboard.

Matthew Hayden

One of the most fierce openers in the history of cricket, Matthew Hayden's 380-run innings was a historic mark. The former Australia international took 362 balls to etch his 300. The match was against Zimbabwe in 2003. Australia won the game by an inning and 175 runs. Hayden hammered thirty-eight 4s and eleven 6s during his innings. 

Virendra Sehwag

Virendra Sehwag once again makes an entry in the list. In 2004 against the archrivals Pakistan, the former right-handed opener took the home team in Multan for an adventurous ride. In 364 deliveries, Sehwag delivered another 300 of his career and helped India to grab a victory over Pakistan by an innings and 52 runs. He struck the ball 39 times for 4 and six times for 6. 

Wiaan Mulder scripted history in Test cricket. He became only the second South African batsman to score a triple century in the longest format of the game. With his triple ton, Mulder joins the elite club for their hundred holders with the former Hashim Amla. Before Mulder, the former international Amla was the sole batsman for South Africa to register a three hundred run-knock in the Whites.

Wiaan created the record during the ongoing 2nd Test of the two-match series against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo. He has been leading the team in the series as their regular skipper, Temba Bavuma, was knocked out of the series due to injury. During the development of this article, Mulder is still going strong enough.

Currently, he is batting on 362* off 329 balls, maintaining a strike rate over 100, and South Africa, after playing 110 overs in the first innings, got 610 runs on the scoreboard in exchange for only 5 losses. The champion of the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC 2025) already is leading the series 1-0. 

3️⃣0️⃣0️⃣and counting 🔥

Wiaan Mulder becomes the second triple centurion from South Africa 👏

📸: @ProteasMenCSA | #ZIMvSA 📝: https://t.co/th3yftS3We pic.twitter.com/59lE331rI4

— ICC (@ICC) July 7, 2025

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Hashim Amla's 300

Hashim Amla bagged his triple ton during a Test match against England back in 2012 at The Oval. In reply to England's 385, SA claimed a mountain-like total, 637 for 2, and then declared their innings. Amla was then at the top of his form, scoring an unbeaten 311 runs against 529 deliveries. His innings was decorated with thirty-five 4s.

South Africa won that match with absolute comfort. England in the second innings attracted only 240, and SA won the match by an innings and 12 runs. Hashim Amla was elected as the best player of the game. 

Wiaan Mulder Leads South Africa’s Comeback After Early Trouble

South Africa is off to a strong start on Day 1 of the second Test against Zimbabwe. After winning the first match by a huge margin, they were in a bit of trouble early in this game but have recovered well thanks to captain Wiaan Mulder.

Zimbabwe chose to bowl first and had South Africa struggling at 24 for 2, with Tony de Zorzi getting out for 10 and Lesego Senokwane for 3. But Mulder played a great innings, scoring an unbeaten century and holding the innings together. He reached his hundred in 116 balls and even broke a big record, beating Herbie Taylor’s 1913 mark for the highest score by a South African captain in a first Test innings.

By the time of writing, South Africa is 205 for 2 in 47.4 overs. Mulder is still batting, with David Bedingham giving solid support on 81 not out. South Africa will look to keep building on this strong position as the match continues.

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Top Scores by South African Captains in Their First Test as Captain

• 110 Runs – Wiaan Mulder vs Zimbabwe, Bulawayo, 2025

• 109 Runs – Herbie Taylor vs England, Durban, 1913

• 104 Runs – Jackie McGlew vs England, Manchester, 1955

• 59 Runs – Kepler Wessels vs West Indies, Bridgetown, 1992

• 57 Runs – Ali Bacher vs Australia, Cape Town, 1970

South Africa has suffered a major setback before the second and final Test against Zimbabwe, as acting captain Keshav Maharaj is ruled out with a left groin strain. Maharaj suffered the injury while batting on Day 3 of the opening Test, a game in which he performed magnificently in the absence of regular captain Temba Bavuma. In Maharaj's departure for home for additional medical evaluation, all-rounder Wiaan Mulder has been entrusted with the captaincy for the next encounter in Bulawayo, which will commence on July 6.

The timing is bad for Maharaj, who was playing his first Test as captain. He was impressive in the opening game of the series, taking four wickets with his left-arm spin and contributing a crucial half-century in the second innings. His captaincy and overall performance were instrumental in South Africa's dominant 328-run victory in the first Test.

Mulder Steps Up as Proteas Look to Build on Dominant Start

Mulder, relatively inexperienced as a captain, was one of Harare's top performers. He made a career-high 147 and took four wickets, confirming his status as a potential leader. It will be his first experience of captaining a team in red-ball cricket, but the Proteas camp has no doubts he will rise to the challenge.

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To compensate for Maharaj's unavailability, South Africa has brought in left-arm spinner Senuran Muthusamy, who has played four Tests and is likely to play a key part in Bulawayo. In another change, pacer Lungi Ngidi, who was on his way to join the team before the second Test, has been released. The decision is meant to provide more game time for promising quicks Codi Yusuf, Kwena Maphaka, and Corbin Bosch, all of whom performed impressively in the first Test.

Even with the reshuffle, South Africa will be looking for a whitewash in the two-match series. The first Test had indicated the depth of their squad, with emerging talents such as Lhuan-dré Pretorius and Bosch delivering when it mattered most. With Mulder leading the attack now, the Proteas will be looking to keep up the momentum and conclude the series on a positive note.