Indian opener Shubman Gill has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for September 2023 after dominant performances, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday.
Gill, 24, had an outstanding September, showcasing his exceptional batting skills first in the Asia Cup and then during the three-match ODI series against Australia, where he played in two matches.
Gill emerged as the highest run-scorer of the Asia Cup, amassing an impressive total of 302 runs at an average of 75.5. His highest score in the multi-nation tournament was 121, achieved against Bangladesh.
The right-handed batter carried forward his exceptional form, scoring 178 runs in two innings against Australia, including a century in the second ODI. This performance sent a clear message to the cricketing world that he is in prime form for the World Cup.
In the month of September, Gill registered three half-centuries and two centuries, being dismissed for less than fifty only twice.
He became the only third player, following Pakistan’s Babar Azam and England’s Harry Brook, to secure the ICC Player of the Month award more than once. Gill previously won this accolade in January.
Babar Azam holds the record for the most Player of the Month awards, with three to his name while Brook has two.
Currently occupying the second position in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, Gill missed India’s first two games of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023 due to illness, preventing him from improving his rankings.
However, the elegant batter is set to make his World Cup debut against arch-rivals Pakistan at the Narendra Modi Stadium on October 14 as India’s skipper Rohit Sharma confirmed that Gill is 99% available for selection.
Gill has been a standout performer in ODIs this year, leading the charts in run-scoring with an impressive 1230 runs at an average of 72.35 and a strike rate of 105.03. In his last four ODIs, he has notched up two centuries and a half-century.
- Shubman Gill
