• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

BCCI Naman Awards 2026: India's batting stars Shubman Gill and Smriti Mandhana received the top individual honors at the Naman Awards in New Delhi. Gill won the esteemed Polly Umrigar award as the Best International cricketer in men's cricket, while Mandhana was named BCCI's Best International cricketer in women's cricket.

Gill claimed his second Cricketer of the Year honor after first winning in 2023, fueled by an exceptional season as an Indian batter. Previously an opener, he scored 1584 runs in 29 ODIs at an impressive average of 53.36 and a strike rate of 105.45, including five centuries.

"Firstly, thank you to the BCCI for recognising me with this award. Many greats and legends of Indian cricket have received it before. It is a huge honour for me to be here. What we as an Indian cricket group achieved last year was tremendous — five ICC trophies. I don’t think that has ever happened before," Gill said at the event.

ALSO READ: ‘Want To Lift IPL 2026 With RR’: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Shares Big Ambition At BCCI Naman Awards

I want to thank my teammates, as none of this would have been possible without them. I also thank my parents and family for their unwavering support. Thank you once again," he said.

Smriti Mandhana has won this award five times, previously earning it in 2018, 2020-2021, 2021-22, 2023-24, and 2024-25.

"I mean, I can talk about this award, but I can’t really speak about individual achievements without mentioning the team. It has truly been a brilliant year. So, thank you — and thank you to the BCCI for supporting women’s cricket the way you have. I hope we continue to reach even greater heights," Mandhana was heard as saying at the event.

ALSO READ: IPL 2026 SWOT Analysis: Can Lucknow Super Giants Turn Potential Into A Title Push?

GILL RISES FOR INDIA

Gill excelled last year, especially in Tests, establishing himself as one of India's most dependable batters. He captained the five-Test series against England, leading as India's top scorer with 754 runs in 10 innings, averaging 75.40, including four centuries and a highest score of 269.

At one point during the first two Tests of the England series, he had already accumulated 585 runs—a notable start to his first Test series as Indian skipper.

He also played a huge role in helping the team win the Champions Trophy last year. Gill entered the tournament as the No.1 ODI batter and hit an unbeaten century against Bangladesh in the opener. He scored 188 runs, finishing as the third-highest run-getter. As an opener, he gave the team strong starts throughout the tournament.

However, he had a challenging start this year, being dropped from India's T20 World Cup squad as selectors opted for a different opening combination. BCCI still honored his significant contributions from last year, highlighting his impact in Tests and ODIs.

SMRITI MANDHANA KEEPS SHINING

Smriti Mandhana has been a standout performer for India since early last year, scoring consistently across all formats and emerging as the face of Indian women's cricket.

She enjoyed a stellar year, amassing 1073 runs—1362 in the 50-over format—the most by an Indian woman in a single year. She became the first woman to score 1000 ODI runs in a year, achieving this during the 2025 Women's ODI World Cup.

She was instrumental in India’s 2025 ODI World Cup triumph, finishing as India's leading scorer with 434 runs in nine matches at an average of 54.25. She excelled as an opener throughout the title-winning campaign.

In September, she made history by scoring a half-century against Australia in New Delhi, converting it into the fastest ODI century by an Indian and surpassing Virat Kohli’s 52-ball record.

In December, she became the first Indian and only the second player overall to surpass 4000 runs in women’s T20Is against Sri Lanka.


Also In News