Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma Claim Top Cricket Honors at TOISA 2025
Indian cricket stars Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma secured the top cricket honors at the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2025 in Lucknow on Saturday. The ceremony recognized elite athletes across 45 categories based on performances between January 1 and December 31, 2025, a highly successful window for Indian cricket on the global stage.
Shubman Gill’s Record-Breaking 2025 Season
Gill secured the Male Cricketer of the Year award after an exceptional season marked by individual milestones and championship victories. According to the International Cricket Council, Gill won two Men’s Player of the Month awards, bringing his career total to four. Entering the ICC Champions Trophy as the top-ranked ODI batter, he scored an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh during the group stage, anchoring India’s eventual title run. He also served as vice-captain under Suryakumar Yadav during India’s Asia Cup T20 victory over Pakistan.
Following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, Gill assumed the Test captaincy with immediate statistical success. He scored a century in his debut as captain at Headingley. At Edgbaston, he posted scores of 269 and 161. His 269 represents the highest Test score by an Indian captain. His match aggregate of 430 runs ranks as the second-highest in Test history, trailing only Graham Gooch’s 456-run match, as documented by ESPN Cricinfo.
2025 Test Captaincy Milestones for Shubman Gill
| Milestone | Achievement Detail |
|---|---|
| Highest Score by Indian Captain | 269 runs at Edgbaston |
| Match Aggregate | 430 runs (2nd highest all-time) |
| Calendar Year Centuries | 5 Test centuries (3rd Indian captain to do so) |
Deepti Sharma’s All-Round World Cup Dominance
Sharma claimed the Female Cricketer of the Year award following a dominant all-round performance at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup. She earned Player of the Tournament honors, helping the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secure the world title in Mumbai.
Her statistical outputs established a new benchmark for all-rounders in tournament history:
- Scored 215 total runs across nine tournament matches.
- Captured 22 wickets during the World Cup campaign.
- Became the first player to record a double of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single World Cup edition.
TOISA 2025 Jury and Special Recognitions
The TOISA 2025 selection panel featured a jury of former athletes, including Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Achanta Sharath Kamal, Leander Paes, and Devendra Jhajharia. Beyond the primary awards, the committee issued special recognition honors to spinner Kuldeep Yadav and Indian women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur for their consistent contributions throughout the 2025 calendar year.