Polly Umrigar Award: Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma have been honoured with the BCCI awards for the best men’s and women’s international cricketers of the 2022-23 season.
Gill, earning the prestigious Polly Umrigar Award for the first time in his career, showcased his remarkable form, particularly in ODIs, where he topped the world charts with an impressive total of 1418 runs at an average of 64.45, including five centuries.
On the other hand, Deepti Sharma clinched the women’s award for the second time, adding to her previous recognition for the 2019-20 season.
The BCCI, after a hiatus in announcing awards, has now addressed this by naming winners for the past four seasons in a consolidated announcement. Mohammed Shami and Deepti received honors for 2019-20, R Ashwin and Smriti Mandhana for 2020-21, and Jasprit Bumrah and Mandhana again for 2021-22.
Shubman Gill’s remarkable year saw him elevate from a promising prospect to an international cricket sensation. His phenomenal run in ODIs included a world-leading run tally of 1418 runs, with five centuries, including a double-century against New Zealand in Hyderabad. Gill also contributed significantly in Tests and T20Is, scoring 387 runs at 35.18 in seven Tests and 304 runs at a strike rate of 146.85 in 11 T20Is.
Deepti Sharma played a pivotal role in India’s successful campaigns in the Women’s Asia Cup and the Asian Games, excelling in T20I action. As an offspinner, she took 38 wickets in T20Is, the fifth-highest in the world during the award period, at an average of 14.81 and an economy rate of 5.71. Deepti also made valuable contributions with the bat, scoring 313 runs, including two half-centuries, at an average of 28.45. Her impressive form extended into the 2023-24 home season, where India triumphed over England and Australia in one-off Tests in Mumbai.
In a fitting acknowledgment of his illustrious career, former India cricketer Ravi Shastri and Farokh Engineer received the BCCI’s lifetime achievement award. Farokh Engineer received the lifetime achievement award for the year 2019-2020..
Renowned for his versatility as a batter and a left-arm finger-spinner, Shastri compiled 3830 Test runs at an average of 35.79 and claimed 151 wickets at 40.96. After his playing career, Shastri seamlessly transitioned into TV commentary, becoming a respected voice known for his incisive analysis and dynamic style.
As the coach of the Indian men’s team from 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2021, Shastri played a pivotal role in India’s rise as a dominant force across formats and conditions, including historic Test series wins in Australia in 2018-19 and 2020-21.
