England’s home Test series often recognise the best performer from both teams with separate Player of the Series awards
Ollie Robinson and Mohammad Abbas received the honour after England’s 3-0 series win over Pakistan
The tradition focuses on individual performances, allowing a standout player from the losing side to be recognised too
England’s latest Test series against Pakistan has once again brought an unusual cricket tradition into focus. After England completed a 3-0 sweep, Ollie Robinson and Pakistan’s Mohammad Abbas were both recognised as Players of the Series.
While this may look unusual to fans accustomed to one overall winner, it follows a long-standing practice associated with England’s home series. The idea is simple which is rather than selecting one standout player from both teams, England’s system recognises the best performer from each side. It gives the visiting team’s leading contributor equal recognition even when the series result is heavily one-sided.
How England’s two-award tradition works
The practice became particularly familiar during England’s 2025 Test series against India, when Shubman Gill and Harry Brook were both named Players of the Series. The awards were selected by the opposition coaches, England head coach Brendon McCullum chose Gill as India’s standout performer, while India coach Gautam Gambhir picked Brook as England’s best player.
That approach essentially creates two categories within the same series, the best performer for the home team and the best performer for the visiting side. It is therefore different from the more common practice of having a single overall Player of the Series.
The system also means a player from the losing team can receive the honour without contradiction. The award recognises individual performance rather than the final result.
Robinson and Abbas rewarded after contrasting campaigns
The 2026 England-Pakistan series offered a perfect example. England dominated from the opening Test, winning at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, before securing the series at Lord’s with a 194-run victory and completing the clean sweep at Edgbaston.
Robinson was England’s standout bowler, finishing with 21 wickets across the three Tests and an outstanding average of 8.76. He was especially destructive in the opening two matches, repeatedly exploiting conditions that favoured England’s seamers.
Abbas, meanwhile, provided Pakistan with one of their few consistent bright spots. He claimed 13 wickets in the series and produced his best performance at Lord’s, where his nine-wicket match haul included a five-wicket second innings. He also contributed 86 runs with the bat.
So, while England walked away with the series trophy, the two-award tradition ensured that both Robinson’s dominance and Abbas’ individual resistance were recognised. It is less about splitting one prize and more about celebrating the best performer from each side.
