Old Etonian Aryaman Varma has been named Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year 2025.
Celebrated at the awards ceremony held at Lord’s on 22 April, Varma won his second nomination after taking 51 wickets in a record-breaking season for Eton College.
“It’s quite humbling to be associated with legends of the game,” he said, referring to past recipients of the prize, former England captain Jos Buttler, and Jonny Bairstow.
Since leaving Eton last year, Varma played his first professional game in the International League T20 (ILT20) with Dubai Capitals, ultimately winning the tournament. Recently he’s been net bowling with the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League.
Beginning his cricketing journey at age four—“Some of my earliest childhood memories involve a plastic bat, a tennis ball, and broken windows”—Varma followed in his older brother’s footsteps upon entering Eton.
“I saw him having an absolute blast,” he said, and hoped he’d also play for the College’s first XI. He surpassed his own goal by becoming captain of the team in his final year.
Embracing the “diverse and multifaceted aspect” of Eton, he also enjoyed playing squash and rackets, and participated in both the Entrepreneurship and Keynes societies, independent plays, and was Editor-in-Chief of boy-led magazine The Lexicon.
A highlight for Varma was winning his final Eton match, which secured the Silk Trophy for a second successive year. Another was playing in the Eton v Harrow games at Lord’s: “Each year the noise just keeps getting louder and louder. It’s a brilliant feeling that you have all your peers, your whole school, out there cheering for you.”
The awards ceremony was made extra special by the presence of Mr Montgomerie, who was Master-in-Charge of Cricket and a “central figure” to his development. He also credited his Head Coach, Mr Roberts, who he spent hours of practice time with: “I’m surprised his shoulder hasn’t dislocated from all the throwing that he’s done for me.”
Varma hopes the award is a stepping stone towards reaching his goal of representing England nationally. “I know how to handle the pressure quite well thanks to Eton,” he said. “[The School] teaches you how to deal with the competition in a good and positive way.
“It’s not solely about being the best at Eton. It’s about the teamwork, compassion, and friendships that you learn along the way.”
