Will Young

Will Young, born on November 22, 1992, is a professional cricketer hailing from New Zealand. He is known for his batting prowess, and his dedication and impressive performances have marked his journey in cricket. Young's cricketing journey began in domestic cricket when he made his first-class debut for Central Stags during the 2011/12 New Zealand domestic cricket season.

His talent and dedication saw him ascend the ranks quickly, and at just 23 years of age, he was named the captain of Central Stags in December 2015. Under his leadership, the Central Stags achieved significant success, winning the Ford Trophy in 2016 and the Plunket Shield in 2018. Young's leadership qualities shone through as he guided his team to victory in these prestigious competitions.

In March 2019, he was set to make his Test debut against Bangladesh. However, a tragic terrorist attack in Christchurch led to the cancellation of the scheduled Test match. He finally got the opportunity to make his Test debut in 2020 against the West Indies. One of the highlights of Young's international career came as a member of the New Zealand team that won the 2019–2021 ICC World Test Championship. While he may not have played in the final, being part of the squad that clinched this prestigious title was a remarkable achievement.

Young's contributions were not limited to Test cricket. In March 2021, he made his ODI debut for New Zealand against Bangladesh, followed by his T20I debut later that month against the same opponent. Fast forward to 2024, New Zealand arrived in India after a humbling Test series defeat in Sri Lanka. Young led the way as the Kiwis achieved a historic 3-0 whitewash, handing India their first-ever clean sweep in Test cricket. Young’s consistency and match-defining performances earned him the Player of the Series award in what was a landmark achievement for New Zealand cricket.