Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma Crowned Cricketers of the Year at TOISA 2025
Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma Crowned Cricketers of the Year at TOISA 2025
In a glittering ceremony held in Lucknow on Saturday, Indian cricket stars Shubman Gill and Deepti Sharma were named 'Cricketer of the Year' in their respective categories at the Times of India Sports Awards (TOISA) 2025. The awards recognized their exceptional performances during the evaluation period from January 1 to December 31, 2025, reflecting a year where Indian cricket recorded strong performances across formats on the global stage.
Shubman Gill's Landmark Year
For Shubman Gill, 2025 marked a phase of consistency and leadership that saw him rise to become one of the most formidable batters in world cricket. The young star won two ICC Men's Player of the Month awards during the year, becoming the first male cricketer to claim the honour four times overall.
Entering the ICC Champions Trophy as the top-ranked ODI batter, Gill scored an unbeaten 101 against Bangladesh in the group stage, setting the tone for India's title-winning campaign. He also served as deputy to Suryakumar Yadav in the Asia Cup (T20), where India defeated Pakistan in the final to lift the trophy.
In Test cricket, Gill took over as captain following the retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. He began his tenure with a century at Headingley, becoming one of the Indian captains to score a hundred in their first Test in charge. His remarkable performances included successive centuries at Edgbaston, including 269 — the highest Test score by an Indian captain — and 161 in the same match, aggregating 430 runs, the second-highest in a Test after Graham Gooch. Gill also became only the third Indian captain to score five Test centuries in a calendar year.
Deepti Sharma's All-Round Brilliance
In the women's category, Deepti Sharma delivered a key all-round performance in 2025 that cemented her status as one of the world's premier all-rounders. She was named Player of the Tournament at the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup after scoring 215 runs and taking 22 wickets in nine matches. She became the first cricketer to register the double of 200 runs and 20 wickets in a single World Cup edition.
Her contribution in the final in Mumbai played a crucial role in India winning the title, marking a historic achievement for women's cricket in the country.
Other Cricket Honours
The ceremony also recognized other cricketing achievements, with Kuldeep Yadav and Harmanpreet Kaur bagging the award for special recognition in the Cricket (Male) and special recognition in Cricket (Female), respectively.
Jury and Selection Process
The winners were selected by an illustrious jury comprising legendary athletes whose achievements have shaped Indian sport. The panel for this edition included Abhinav Bindra, PR Sreejesh, Mithali Raj, Achanta Sharath Kamal, Leander Paes, and Devendra Jhajharia.
Their collective experience ensured that the honours reflected performances across levels, recognising contributions that shaped India's sporting year. The ceremony in Lucknow recognised athletes across more than 45 sporting categories, celebrating excellence in Indian sports throughout 2025.