Last Updated on 3 months by Charbel Coorey
2025 has been a year of uncertainties in the sporting world. Several teams long criticised for not delivering under pressure have finally broken through this year, either winning their first title or ending a trophy drought.
It started in January when the Hobart Hurricanes won their maiden Big Bash League (BBL) title. Post which, Paris St. Germain (PSG) won their maiden Champions League title. It didn’t stop there for football, as Spurs won their first trophy since 2008 after beating Manchester United in the Europa League Final. Also, the world of rugby saw Bath become champions for the first time.
In cricketing circles, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally won their maiden title after an 18-year wait. Soon after, South Africa entered the party and won their first ICC trophy since 1998 after stunning Australia in the World Test Championship 2025 Final.
Melbourne Stars are another team that have been subject to criticism due to their lack of success. The green brigade is currently the only team in the BBL without a title. With the way 2025 has transpired, all eyes will be on the Marcus Stoinis-led side during the BBL 2025-26 season
During an exclusive interview with Arvind Kalyana Krishnan, Melbourne Stars General Manager and spokesperson, Max Abbott, drew light on the same. He spoke about how the Stars will be taking inspiration from RCB’s triumph. Max drew parallels between Virat Kohli finally winning an IPL title and the possibility of Glenn Maxwell and Stoinis doing the same. He was hopeful of the stars being aligned for the Stars.
Abbott also expressed excitement over Haris Rauf returning. The sports marketing veteran is expecting the Pakistani pacer to be at his best. Rauf has enjoyed great moments in Stars colours. After impressing everyone with his yorkers in the 2019-20 season, the pacer went on to make his international debut and has since been a force to reckoned with.
Max Abbott interview: Melbourne Stars GM hoping the 2025 trend continues
Below is the entire conversation between Arvind Kalyana Krishnan and Max Abbott:
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: 2025 has been a year where many franchises have won…..Like Spurs in soccer and Bangalore in the IPL. So can we say that this is Melbourne Stars’ best time?
Max Abbott: (Smiles) “I’m very aware that this has been a year of firsts across world sport…..And with RCB you know breaking their drought, it feels only fitting that Kohli and RCB were able to sort of break their drought and I think it’ll only be fitting for Maxwell and Stoinis to sort of you know also have the same happen to them, for a number of years of you know, giving so much to Melbourne Stars. They’re super passionate about the club. I know all our fans have been starved. Had a long wait for the title but the omen’s are there, and hopefully we can use a bit of that as inspiration next season.”
Arvind Kalyana Krishnan: Yeah, and y’all managed to get Rauf back. So the prospect of Rauf playing back with his old mates, do you think he will now play better than what he was in the past?
Max Abbott: “I think so! He’s in career best form at the moment and I know that when we sat down in all the draft discussions and you’re talking about all the different things that go into picking a player, one of the big factors that Haris just fits in really well with the group, all the guys really love him.
I mean obviously you got a well-documented story that Stars sort of discovered him and put him on the world stage, so to kind of have him come back where he’s got so much of love and respect within the playing group, and I think clearly Haris loves coming to Melbourne and playing with us. I think was a big reason why you know we elected to go that way.”
