BCCI Naman Awards 2026: Shubman Gill, Smriti Mandhana headline list
What's the story
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) hosted the prestigious Naman Awards 2026 in Mumbai on Sunday. Star batter Shubman Gill received the Polly Umrigar Award for the Best International Men's Cricketer of the Year. Meanwhile, Smriti Mandhana bagged the Best International Women's Cricketers of the Year Award, the fifth of her career. Meanwhile, legends Roger Binny, Rahul Dravid, and Mithali Raj were honored with the Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.
Achievement
Gill had a stellar season
This was Gill's second Cricketer of the Year award after winning it in 2023. He had a stellar season as captain of India's ODI and Test teams, despite missing out on the recent T20 World Cup victory. Gill was the leading run-scorer in the five-Test series against England, amassing 754 runs at an average of 75.40. He scored four centuries with a best of 269. The star batter also played a key role in India's Champions Trophy victory last year.
Milestone
Fifth Cricketer of the Year award for Mandhana
Mandhana, one of the world's best players, was awarded for the fifth time. She ended 2025 with a record 1,703 international runs, including a whopping 1,362 in ODIs. The left-hander became the first woman to score 1,000 ODI runs in a calendar year. Although she started slowly at the World Cup, Mandhana was instrumental in India's first title victory with an aggregate of 434 runs across nine matches.
Honors
Other notable awards
Roger Binny, who won the 1983 World Cup with Team India, received the Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also the BCCI president until September last year. Rahul Dravid was also honored with the same award for his iconic status in Indian cricket and his run-scoring prowess in ODIs and T20Is. Mithali Raj was awarded for her record-breaking career. Four years after retiring, she still has the most runs in Women's ODIs.