In a celebration of individual excellence and historical contributions to the sport, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly set to honor Shubman Gill as the Men’s Cricketer of the Year for the 2025 season. The 26 year old Test and ODI captain will receive this prestigious accolade during the annual Naman Awards ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 15.
Shubman Gill: A Landmark Year
The 2025 season marked a transformative period in Gill’s career. Statistically, he was the most prolific batter in international cricket, amassing 1764 runs across all three formats at an average of 49. His year was defined by several critical milestones:
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Captaincy and Tests: After replacing Rohit Sharma as Test captain, Gill led India to a spirited 2-2 draw in the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy in England and a 2 0 series sweep against the West Indies.
ODI Success: He served as a pivotal opening batter during India’s Champions Trophy victory and led the side in the 50 over format vs Australia and NZ.
All Format Stature: Although he was eventually dropped from the T20I squad before the 2026 World Cup, his role as vice captain during the 2025 Asia Cup solidified his status as one of India’s few all format players.
Lifetime Achievement Honors: Rahul Dravid and Mithali Raj
The BCCI will also utilize the gala to recognize the long term contributions of legendary figures. Former India captain and coach Rahul Dravid is set to be honored with the Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dravid’s career spans a legendary sixteen year playing stint followed by a highly successful coaching tenure. He accumulated 13,288 Test runs and 10,889 ODI runs before transitioning into coaching. His leadership behind the scenes was instrumental in India’s 2018 Under 19 World Cup win and culminated in the senior team’s 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumph.
Similarly, iconic women’s captain Mithali Raj is expected to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. Raj, who retired in 2022, remains the leading run scorer in Women’s ODIs with 7,805 runs and famously led India to two World Cup finals.
Recognition for Domestic Talent
The domestic circuit will also see its top performers rewarded. Mumbai’s rising talent Ayush Mhatre is set to receive the Lala Amarnath Award for his outstanding contributions to domestic cricket.
Historical Context
The awards ceremony comes at a time of immense celebration for Indian cricket. Following the national team’s historic feat as the first team to successfully defend a T20 World Cup title, the Naman Awards will serve as a platform to honor both the current stars like Gill and the architects of the game’s foundation like Dravid and Raj. Despite Gill’s absence from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad, his dominance in the longer formats has clearly established him as the standout performer of the 2025 calendar year.
