Shubman Gill Named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July 2025

India’s newly appointed Test captain, Shubman Gill, has been crowned the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July 2025, following a sensational run of performances against England. The 25-year-old edged out strong contenders England’s Ben Stokes and South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder for the prestigious award, which was announced by the International Cricket Council on Tuesday.

STELLAR DEBUT SERIES AS TEST CAPTAIN

Gill’s remarkable showing came during his first assignment as India’s Test captain in the much-anticipated Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, a five-match Test series against England that ended in a gripping 2-2 draw. His leadership and batting prowess stood out as the defining factors for India throughout the series.

The ICC, in an official statement, said:

“India’s Shubman Gill has landed the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July 2025 following his heroics against England in a thrilling Test series, after facing stiff competition from England Test skipper Ben Stokes and South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder.”

RECORD-BREAKING RUN FEAST

Gill amassed a staggering 754 runs in the series, with 567 of those runs coming in July alone, at a phenomenal average of 94.50 across three Tests. His prolific run included a double century and two additional centuries, making it one of the most memorable captaincy debuts in cricket history.

Double century: 268 at Edgbaston

Centuries: 161 at Edgbaston and one earlier at Leeds

His 754-run series total now ranks as the second-highest tally ever by a Test captain, trailing only the legendary Don Bradman’s 810 runs during the 1936–37 Ashes series.

HISTORIC MILESTONES ACHIEVED

Gill didn’t just score big—he broke barriers:

- His 430-run aggregate at Edgbaston is the second-highest in a single Test, only behind Graham Gooch’s 456 against India in 1990.

- It also became the highest run tally by a visiting batter in a Test match in England.

- He became the first Asian batsman to score 700+ runs in a Test series held in SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia).

- Before this series, Gill had not scored a Test century in any SENA nation and had yet to play a Test in New Zealand.

GILL REACTS TO THE HONOR

In a humble acceptance, Gill expressed his delight and gratitude:

“It feels great to be named the ICC Player of the Month for July. This one means a lot more from my first Test series as captain. The double ton in Birmingham is something I’ll always cherish—it was a career-defining moment. The entire series was a valuable learning curve for me as a leader. I want to thank my teammates for their support and the jury for this recognition. I hope to carry this form forward and bring more glory to Indian cricket.”

LOOKING AHEAD

With such a commanding start to his leadership career, expectations around Shubman Gill are soaring. His combination of composure, technical brilliance, and leadership maturity suggests that India may be entering a new era under his captaincy.