Kamal Ghorui
Shubman Gill and Smriti Mandhana were crowned the Best International Cricketers (Men’s and Women’s) at the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 on Sunday, celebrating their exceptional performances during the 2024–2025 season. Gill claimed the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award, marking his second Cricketer of the Year title after first winning in 2023, while Mandhana earned the honour for the fifth time.The ceremony also recognised former greats Roger Binny, Rahul Dravid, and Mithali Raj with the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the BCCI’s highest accolade, in recognition of their remarkable contributions to Indian cricket.Gill enjoyed a remarkable 2025, cementing his status as a pillar of India’s batting line-up in the longer formats. He led the way during India’s five-Test series in England, finishing as the leading run-scorer with 754 runs in 10 innings at an average of 75.40, including four centuries and a career-best 269. He also played a key role in India’s Champions Trophy triumph last year, entering the tournament as the world’s No.1-ranked ODI batter. Gill began with an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh and ended the competition with 188 runs.Mandhana, meanwhile, completed 2025 with 1,703 international runs, including 1,362 in ODIs—the highest by any woman in a single year—becoming the first female batter in ODI history to surpass 1,000 runs in a calendar year. She was instrumental in India’s maiden Women’s World Cup victory, scoring 434 runs across nine matches to finish as India’s top scorer and second-highest overall. Earlier, Mandhana had smashed a 50-ball century against Australia in New Delhi, registering the fastest ODI hundred by an Indian batter and breaking Virat Kohli’s 52-ball record.
