Travis Head has been crowned the nation's leading male cricketer, winning the prestigious Allan Border Medal for a second consecutive year.
At a function held in Brisbane to celebrate the 2025-26 season for Australia’s men’s teams, Head claimed top honours while Mitchell Starc was named Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year, Mitchell Marsh claimed Men’s ODI Player of the Year and Tim David won Men’s T20I Player of the Year.
Head played 30 matches across all three formats during the 2025-26 international cricket season, scoring 1437 runs.
The left-hander’s season was highlighted by a brilliant 123 off 83 balls on day two of the NRMA Insurance West Test, to help Australia claim an eight-wicket win and the first win of the Ashes series.
Head’s top score for the season was a 170 in the second innings of his home Test in Adelaide. That innings followed a century by Alex Carey, who finished one vote behind his South Australian teammate in the Allan Border Medal count.
Carey also had a standout season, scoring 1079 runs in 24 matches across all formats. His glovework was pivotal in Australia’s reclaiming of the Ashes when he finished the series with 28 dismissals.
Fast bowler Starc finished third in the Allan Border Medal and claimed the Shane Warne Men’s Test Player of the Year.
Starc, who was also the NRMA Insurance Ashes Player of the Series, took 57 wickets at 24 in 11 Tests with best figures of 7-58 in the first innings of the West Test against England.
In the white ball formats, Marsh won ODI Player of the Year after scoring 304 runs in six matches with a top score of 100 against South Africa in Mackay.
David was awarded T20I Player of the Year, scoring 395 runs in 14 matches which included the fastest-ever T20I century for Australia, an unbeaten 102 off 37 balls against the West Indies.
James Allsopp, Cricket Australia Chief of Cricket said:
“Congratulations to all of tonight's award winners, including back-to-back Allan Border Medallist Travis Head.”
“Travis had a fantastic season with some memorable knocks that left lifelong memories for the fans lucky to watch him. Mitch Starc has moved in the realm of the world's great fast bowlers while Mitch Marsh and Tim David starred in the white ball formats.
“The Australian Men's Team had a big 2025-26 summer which featured retaining the Ashes in front of record-breaking audiences. They have a huge year of cricket to come starting with the two-Test series against Bangladesh in Darwin and Mackay.”
Brendan Drew, ACA General Manager Member Services & Cricket Operations said:
"Congratulations to the winners of tonight’s awards, and to all involved in Australian Men’s Teams across the three formats over the last year."
"To Travis Head, who becomes only the 6th multiple-time winner of the Allan Border Medal - what a sensational player he’s become for Australia across all formats, a thoroughly deserving back-to-back winner of the award.
"Mitch Starc has aged like a fine wine and continues to act as a key cog in the Test bowling lineup - congratulations to him on becoming only the 5th player to be named Australia’s Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year multiple times.
"Congratulations to Mitch Marsh and Tim David who were duly rewarded for their stand-out years - both being reliable with the bat time and time again in ODIs and T20Is.
"As we wrap up last year, we look forward with excitement to a packed schedule of cricket for our Australian Men’s teams both home and away over the next 12 months."
Earlier this year Annabel Sutherland claimed her second consecutive Belinda Clark Award. She was also named ODI Player of the Year while Beth Mooney was named T20I Player of the Year.
Allan Border Medal – Travis Head (153 votes)
2nd: Alex Carey (152 votes)
3rd: Mitchell Starc (150 votes)
Shane Warne Test Player of the Year – Mitchell Starc
Men’s ODI Player of the Year – Mitchell Marsh
Men’s T20I Player of the Year – Tim David
VOTING FRAMEWORK
The awards for international cricket are based on votes from players, umpires and media on a 3-2-1 basis from each match.
Votes are weighted to decide the Allan Border Medal winner, with votes polled in Test matches worth twice those from ODI fixtures, and three times the T20I votes.