Indian cricket team batter Shubman Gill had a memorable 2023 with brilliant performances across formats and he won the Cricketer of the Year award at the BCCI Awards 2024. Gill celebrated the achievement by posting a picture of himself in the award ceremony eight years ago with Virat Kohli. “So much nostalgia, from coming here when i was 14 and meeting my idols and legends for the first time. Watching Virat bhai win cricketer of the year was something I would never forget. Pure motivation for me to go a step further and give everything for my country this year,” he wrote on Instagram.
Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Shubman Gill won the Polly Umrigar Award which is awarded to the Best International Cricketer in the Men’s Category for the years 2019-20, 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 respectively on Tuesday during the Naman Awards.
Shami reigned supreme during the year 2019-20 as he scalped 77 wickets in 30 matches with an average of 19.81 and an economy of 4.06. His best bowling figures during the year 5/35 came against South Africa in Visakhapatnam.
After winning the award, Shami expressed his delight and said, “I have been injured for the most part when I played for my country, I enjoy playing with the team and whenever the team requires me in whatever condition I am ready to play.”
Ashwin went on to dominate the following year as he made just seven appearances but scalped 44 wickets with his best bowling figure of 6/61 coming against England in Chennai.
The experienced all-rounder is close to completing 500 Test wickets as he currently sits on 490. He could achieve the milestone against England but isn’t focusing on the number.
“Numbers not really, in the early phase of my career it did. When you are sticking to larger picture and process it is about enjoying for me,” Ashwin said during the event.
Jasprit Bumrah who never seems to lose his groove was awarded as the best cricketer for the year 2021-22. In his 15 appearances, he bagged 35 wickets with an economy of 3.27 with his best bowling figure of 5/24 coming against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru.
Finally, Shubman Gill amassed 1325 runs in 25 matches with his highest knock of 208 coming against New Zealand in the ODI clash.
Gill averaged 53.00 during 2022-23 and scored at a strike rate of 94.23. He also added six centuries and two half-centuries in his kitty as well.
(With ANI inputs)
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