NEW DELHI: India’s young batting sensation Shubman Gill has been nominated for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for February 2025 after a stellar run with the bat. Gill, who played a crucial role in India’s recent dominance, stands out among the three nominees, which also include Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips.
Carrying his brilliant form into the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, Gill has been India’s batting mainstay. In his five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) over the course of the month, he amassed 406 runs at an astonishing average of 101.50 and a strike rate of 94.19.
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His performances against England in the three-match ODI series were instrumental in India’s 3-0 clean sweep. He played three outstanding knocks — 87 in Nagpur, 60 in Cuttack, and a match-winning century (112) in Ahmedabad. His heroics earned him the Player of the Series award, boosting India’s momentum ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Gill carried that form seamlessly into the tournament, beginning with a magnificent unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh, followed by a crucial 46 in the high-voltage clash against Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Steve Smith delivered stellar performances during the Test series against Sri Lanka, scoring 141 and 131 in two matches, which earned him the Player of the Series award. However, his limited-overs performances were less impactful, scoring 12 and 29 in the ODI series before the Champions Trophy, where he registered 5 against England and 19 not out against Afghanistan.
New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips was instrumental in his team’s triumph in the Pakistan tri-series, scoring 236 runs in five ODIs at a strike rate of 124.21, including 106 against Pakistan in Lahore. He maintained his good form in the Champions Trophy, starting with a gritty 61 against Pakistan and an unbeaten 21 against Bangladesh.