When Sonny Baker sat down to discuss his breakout campaign, the proof of his spectacular season was perched directly beside him as he chatted to Beyond the Boundaries at the PCA Awards in partnership with Toyota.
The Toyota PCA Men’s Young Player of the Year trophy highlighting a brilliant campaign. Incredibly, since the award was first introduced in 1990, Baker becomes the first Hampshire winner of the accolade with the names of past recipients representing a roll call of generational talents including the likes of Mike Atherton, Andrew Flintoff and more recently Jamie Smith and Harry Brook.
For Baker, being voted into that elite list by his peers across England and Wales represents the ultimate validation.
“It’s obviously a massive honour,” Baker remarked, noting how meaningful it is to receive positive recognition from the very players he competes against and respects. “There’s some outstanding talent on the trophy, it’s a privilege to have my name on it.” Yet, while the award celebrates a remarkable twelve months, the road to securing it came from relentless spells of high pace, steep learning curves on the international stage, and a shift in his mental approach to the game.
If one evening captured Baker’s potential and the emotional rollercoaster of professional cricket, it was Vitality Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston. Reaching the final with Hampshire was a major ambition for the squad, given the prestige and atmosphere surrounding the day and when Baker took the ball in the final, he produced a memorable spell.
During the powerplay, the 23-year-old focused on raw speed while searching for some early swing. “In the powerplay in general, I’m always just trying to bowl fast and see if there’s a bit of shape there,” Baker explained. Recognising that his teammate Chris Wood was swinging the ball effectively at the other end, Baker knew there would be initial movement on offer. However, as the innings progressed, the surface at Edgbaston began to scuff the ball, unlocking reverse swing, a weapon that plays directly into Baker’s skillset.
”I didn't actually realise that I’d got five at the time, I thought it was only my fourth on the last one.”
Sonny BakerHampshire & England
Exploiting the conditions, Baker ripped through Northamptonshire, taking career best figures of 5-21, though the rapid succession of wickets created a moment of confusion.
Unaware of his exact tally, Baker picked up his fifth wicket believing it was only his fourth. “I didn’t actually realise that I’d got five at the time, I thought it was only my fourth on the last one,” he recalled with a smile.
Despite his spectacular five-wicket haul, the game ended in defeat as Hampshire failed to chase down the target. Baker described the change from individual brilliance to team defeat as a “melancholy moment” and “deflating.” Nevertheless, standing up on the grandest domestic stage highlighted that his high-pace and reverse swing skill-set belonged at the very top level. The fast bowler took 62 wickets across the domestic season with 21 wickets in the Blast and 12 in The Hundred.
Baker’s heroics naturally paved the way to the international stage bringing call-ups to both England’s white-ball and Test match squads.
However, entering the elite environment brought an immediate mental challenge. His 2025 debut in ODI cricket proved to be a baptism of fire at Headingley, where South Africa’s Aiden Markram took a liking to his bowling.
”The way I went about it wasn’t great, I was beating the bat and I was kind of scurrying back to my mark thanking God that didn't go for a boundary.”
Sonny BakerHampshire & England
That tough introduction spilled over into his first IT20 game…
Baker found himself bowling below his standards and wrestling with self-doubt. “In my IT20 debut specifically, coming off a tough ODI debut where I was put to the sword on a good wicket with a low score, it was tough context,” Baker admitted. “The way I went about it wasn’t great, I was beating the bat and I was kind of scurrying back to my mark thanking God that didn’t go for a boundary.”
Recognising that anxiety was stifling his natural game, Baker made a conscious commitment to change his mindset ahead of his Test match debut. He realised that on the field, he is naturally a vibrant character, and suppressing that personality was hindering his performance. “I’m a bit of a character on the pitch, so why not embrace that and go about it the way I normally do?”
That shift in perspective transformed his international experience. Moving into his Test debut, despite the inevitable nervous energy accompanying the occasion, Baker allowed himself to express his skills freely. He claimed his maiden Test wicket and collected international scalps across formats. The welcoming, relaxed culture within the England camp further helped his transition, making him feel fully integrated into the setup. “In the white-ball games recently, I really got a chance to demonstrate what I can actually do. I had a chance to just express myself and go about it. I feel very much part of the group and have loved it.” Baker finished the season with 10 England wickets, taking six dismissals in IT20 cricket at a fantastic average of 7.33.
No fast bowler can succeed on their own, and Baker is quick to suggest his progress is thanks to a network of mentors, coaches, and loved ones.
Central to his development at Hampshire has been veteran fast bowler Kyle Abbott. Baker speaks about Abbott with admiration, viewing him as a primary role model for fast-bowling and relentless accuracy.
“In every interview I’m banging on about how good ‘Kylo’ is and how much of an influence he is on me,” Baker said. “I really do see him as a mentor and someone to try and model after in terms of his diligence and accuracy with the ball.” Having Abbott positioned at mid-off to offer tactical feedback during matches has proved invaluable. The bond between the two reached a peak when reflecting on Baker’s international breakthrough: “We had a lovely little moment where we both got a little bit emotional talking about having played a Test match now, which is something we spoke about wanting to do in our careers. I feel very lucky to call him a friend.”
Beyond Abbott, Baker’s technical and physical game is looked over by a specialised group of coaches including Aaron Lewis, Shahbaz Choudhry and the England coaching staff. Navigating the highs and lows of fast bowling requires mental strength and Baker credits his father and girlfriend with keeping him strong through challenging periods. “Family and friends are always number one, my dad particularly always looks after me, and my girlfriend too. They’ve been amazing at helping me stay resilient and keep progressing.”
”Woody's probably more of a flamboyant character off the pitch than myself, but I still have a good laugh. He's probably more of a jokester.”
Sonny BakerHampshire & England
As a young fast bowler capable of generating consistent speed around the 90mph mark, Baker has frequently drawn comparisons to iconic English quicks like Mark Wood and Darren Gough and it’s a comparison Baker warmly accepts, even if he views their off-field temperaments slightly differently.
“Woody’s probably more of a flamboyant character off the pitch than myself, but I still have a good laugh. He’s probably more of a jokester.” However, in terms of on-field attitude, Baker holds Wood in the highest esteem. Following the Durham and England bowler’s announcement of his retirement from international cricket, Baker reached out personally to text him with a simple message: “Wow, what a career.”
What Baker admires most about Wood is his commitment whenever he takes the ball. “He is an inspiration in the way he goes about things, he always gives 100%, a heart-on-the-sleeve kind of guy, and those are traits that I really admire, having a comparison like that is always a compliment, so I’m pretty happy with that to be fair.”
With a big winter schedule on the horizon and England tours to Pakistan, Australia, South Africa and Bangladesh and then an Ashes summer next year, it would be easy for a young bowler to get lost in future speculation.
Yet Baker approaches his career with a disciplined approach focussing on short-term gains and continuous learning.
“The main thing for me is trying to take it one phase at a time.” Rather than obsessing over selections like an Ashes series, his goal for every leg of the winter is to identify specific learning objectives. “What am I trying to get out of it? What do I want to learn in that period of time? Eventually, if you keep stacking tours like that, you’ll be continually improving,” Baker explained.
For Baker, avoiding long-term distractions is key to preserving current form.
“You get in trouble when you start looking at what’s next instead of worrying about your performances right now. What can I do right now to try and improve? As long as I’m continually improving, then you’d hope you’re in a good spot long-term.”
That drive is balanced by an easy-going warmth off the field. When asked about his England teammate Matt Fisher, who featured alongside Baker in Beyond the Boundaries’ ‘Half Way House’, Baker smiled warmly, floating the idea of starting a joint podcast down the line. “I miss Fish. He’s a fantastic guy and an incredibly talented cricketer. I think he’s right in the top tier of good blokes out there.”
Whether delivering heat under the Edgbaston lights, or adapting to the challenges of Test cricket, Baker represents the modern fast bowler: technical, physical and fierce. As he plans the next stages of his career, England cricket fans can look forward to watching a special talent bowl with speed, swing and a lot of heart over the coming years.
