5 Players To Watch In BBL Later This Year

Big Bash 15 is right around the corner, with the biggest Twenty20 competition in Australia one that continues to grow with each six that is hit, wicket that is taken and catch that is pouched. 

The global reach of the competition is massive, but it is not only the viewers from around the world jockeying for position that show how popular it has become. 

Indeed, the player base that the teams have been able to choose from perfectly highlights the popularity of the tournament. 

While the majority of the players involved in the competition are Australian, there is a strong smattering of international talent looking to showcase their skills on the field. 

Ahead of BBL 15, Bets.com.au have brought together five players to watch ahead of the new season.

David Warner (Sydney Thunder)

David Warner was the man for all situations last season as he led The Sydney Thunder to within a single victory of the title. 

Impressively, the captain was able to lead his side through the most difficult of runs to the final as they finished third in the regular season before winning the Knockout and Challenger. 

While the season did end in defeat for the Thunder, on a personal level, Warner shone. He notched 405 runs at 45.00, putting him in second in the run scoring charts. 

At 38, Warner’s time in the BBL is likely coming to a close. Whether it is this season or in the next few that he chooses to hang up his bat, the Aussie great has always been one to watch for his brutal hitting. 

It will very much be a case of missing him when he is gone, so enjoying him now is something every BBL fan should get on board with. 

Glenn Maxwell (Melbourne Stars)

Huge sixes, stunning catches, wicket-taking – what’s not to like? Glenn Maxwell really does it all in the limited overs games. From superb bursts of wickets to world class double centuries for his country in pressure situations, Maxwell is often the man for a crisis. 

While he did not feel like he was quite at his best in the 2024/25 season, he still ended with 325 runs, putting him in fourth in the run scoring charts. He was very quiet with the ball in hand though, taking just a single wicket as the batting side of his all-round game shone through. 

Much like Warner, Maxwell has certainly played in more BBL’s than he has left. The 36-year-old will go down as one of the great cricketers in the limited overs game, and we would not be surprised to see a few more Big Bash seasons in which he showcases the skills that have made him an Aussie great. 

Expect more stunning hitting this season as he looks to lead the Stars to the trophy. 

Jason Behrendorff (Melbourne Renegades)

The top bowler from last year’s iteration of the Big Bash, Jason Behrendorff starred across the campaign for Perth Scorchers with 17 wickets at an average of 17.41. His haul of wickets was impressive, but similarly stunning was the three maidens he registered, which was only three less than the rest of the bowlers in the competition combined. 

Unfortunately for the Scorchers, they are going to have to watch Behrendorff looking for wickets with the Melbourne Renegades this season. 

After finishing sixth last term, the focus for the Renegades will be on building towards the knockouts, and the Aussie quick will be central to this. 

If the Renegades are to get closer to landing the title in 2026, expect Behrendorff to be at the centre of their title push as he looks to underline his claim to being the best bowler in the competition. 

Babar Azam (Sydney Sixers)

The Sydney Sixers were able to land arguably the pull of the tournament so far as they managed to get Babar Azam to commit to a deal that will see him available for the entirety of the tournament due to Pakistan’s empty schedule. 

On his day, Azam is one of the best multi-format batsmen in the world. He adds experience and runs to a Sixers side that finished second in the regular season before losing in the Challenger to arch-rivals Sydney Thunder. 

This season, Azam will be employed to provide consistent runs at the top of the order along with being able to soak up pressure if the wickets start to tumble. 

With an average of 39.84 in T20 cricket, Azam arrives with three hundreds in the shortest format along with an impressive strike rate of 129.22. While he has not been at his best of late, a stint in the BBL may yet prove to be the shot in the arm that brings the best out of Pakistan’s favourite son. 

Luke Wood (Adelaide Strikers)

Adelaide Strikers have secured some excellent talent in the internationals category with Jamie Overton and Hasan Ali pencilled in to turn out for the side. However, we are most excited to see Luke Wood don the Strikers jersey. 

Wood is listed as being available for the whole tournament including the finals. He has played a total of eight international matches, taking 13 wickets. Interestingly, seven of his eight appearances have been in England’s T20 squad, with all 13 of his wickets coming in the shortest format at an average of 17.69. 

The quick may be fairly inexperienced at the highest level, but what he lacks in experience he more than makes up for with pace with the ball in hand. 

The worry for the Strikers will be that a number of quality batsmen are out of contract with the side. The hope will be that they can supplement a slightly weaker batting lineup with a bowling unit that takes wickets and keeps the scoring rate down.