In a proud moment for Indian cricket, Mohammed Siraj has been named the ICC Player of the Month for August 2025. The announcement came from the International Cricket Council (ICC) on X (formerly Twitter) via their official handle. This recognition comes after Siraj's successful performance against England, where he played an important role in India earning a historic draw in the Test series.

The experienced pacer managed to edge past West Indies’ Jayden Seales and New Zealand’s Matt Henry to clinch the coveted award. Interestingly, Siraj played only one match during the month but his exceptional spell at The Oval proved to be the turning point. His nine-wicket haul across both innings set up a famous win for India in the match, underlining his ability to deliver in crucial moments.

This is Siraj's first ICC Player of the Month Award. He now joins an important list of Indian cricketers, Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer, Virat Kohli, R. Ashwin, etc., that have received the honor. This is a new achievement for Siraj and builds India's reputation in the global cricketing arena.

Siraj’s Reflections on the Honour

Speaking to the ICC after receiving the award, Siraj expressed his delight, saying, "It is a special honor to be named ICC Player of the Month. The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy was a memorable series, and it was one of the most intense contests I have been part of. I am proud that I could contribute with some important spells, especially in the decisive moments. Bowling against a top batting lineup in their home conditions was challenging, but it also brought out the best in me. This award belongs as much to my teammates and the support staff as it does to me, because their constant encouragement and belief kept me going."

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Currently, Siraj is not part of India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad. However, the Hyderabad-born pacer is expected to make his return to competitive cricket during the upcoming home Test series against the West Indies, where he will once again aim to lead India’s bowling attack with his pace and precision.

India’s Test captain Shubman Gill has capped off a sensational debut series as skipper by being named ICC Men’s Player of the Month for July 2025, becoming the first male cricketer to win the award four times. Gill’s heroics in the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy against England saw him edge past England captain Ben Stokes and South African all-rounder Wiaan Mulder for the honour.

The 25-year-old produced a staggering 567 runs at an average of 94.50 across three Tests in July, including a monumental double hundred and two centuries. His match-defining performances helped India script a famous 2–2 series draw away from home.

“This time it holds a lot more significance since it has come for my performances during my first Test series as captain,” Gill said. “The double ton in Birmingham is something I will cherish forever. The series was a learning curve for me as captain, and I’m proud of the way we fought back.”

Records Tumble in Birmingham

Gill’s crowning moment came in the second Test at Edgbaston, where he scored 269 in the first innings and followed it up with 161 in the second. His 430-run aggregate in the match is the second-highest in Test history, only behind Graham Gooch’s 456.

The Birmingham masterclass saw Gill:

• Become the first Indian captain to score a Test double century in England.
• Register the highest Test score by an Indian in England, surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s 221 in 1979.
• Break Sachin Tendulkar’s record for the highest overseas score by an Indian batter outside Asia.

Despite low scores at Lord’s, Gill returned to form at Old Trafford, where his unbeaten 103 in the second innings salvaged a vital draw after India had lost two wickets for no score in their chase. His composed knock kept the series alive, eventually paving the way for India’s fightback to level it 2–2.

Gill finished the five-match series with 754 runs at an average of 75.40, also winning the Player of the Series award. This tally is the second-highest ever in a World Test Championship series.

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Four-Time Winner

Gill’s latest triumph adds to his previous ICC Player of the Month wins in January 2023, September 2023, and February 2025. Only Australia’s Ash Gardner and West Indies captain Hayley Matthews have matched his four-win tally, though in the women’s category.

Dunkley Takes Women’s Award

In the women’s category, England’s Sophia Dunkley claimed the honour after a strong home series against India. She scored 126 runs in three ODIs and 144 runs in four T20Is at a strike rate of 134.57, including a match-defining 83 in the first ODI at Southampton. Dunkley edged out Sophie Ecclestone and Ireland captain Gaby Lewis to win the award. 

“I am delighted to win the ICC Player of the Month award off the back of a really hard-fought series against India,” Dunkley said. “We’ll take a lot from it moving towards the ICC Women’s World Cup.”

Both winners were chosen through a combination of fan votes and a specialist panel of former players and media representatives.

The ICC announced the nominees for the ICC Men's Player of the Month for June 2025, with three of the game's longest-format stars. Two South African stars from their record-breaking ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 victory and one reliable Sri Lankan opener lead the shortlist.

Aiden Markram (South Africa)

South African opener Aiden Markram was the fulcrum of his team's WTC Final triumph at Lord's, delivering when it mattered. First, he did so with the ball, bowling out Steve Smith with his sixth ball after the Australian had settled in during a handy partnership with Beau Webster.

Markram made a forgettable batting debut in the first innings, bowled without a run by Mitchell Starc. But Markram left his stamp of class in the second innings. South Africa was chasing a tall 282 at that time, and Markram took the stage after the early fall of Ryan Rickelton. He formed crucial partnerships with Wiaan Mulder and captain Temba Bavuma, who was nursing an injury. Markram even comforted Bavuma in the dressing room, exhibiting calm leadership under pressure.

He continued to score a regal 136, leading South Africa to their five-wicket victory and first ICC senior men's title in 27 years. Markram also removed the last wicket of Australia's second innings, having Josh Hazlewood out to seal the deal with both bat and ball.

Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

Rabada spearheaded South Africa's pace group with customary aggression and accuracy in the WTC Final. In a swing-friendly Day 1 at Lord's, he got the ball rolling by dismissing Usman Khawaja and then went on to take his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests. His 33.4 overs through the air for the match returned nine wickets for only 110 runs.

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He became almost unplayable at times, sending away important batsmen such as Cameron Green, Alex Carey, and Nathan Lyon in the second innings. Rabada's work ensured that Australia never got away with the game. He finished the Test fourth on South Africa's list of all-time Test wicket-takers with 336 wickets, having gone past Allan Donald.

Pathum Nissanka (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lanka’s dependable opener Pathum Nissanka had a phenomenal start to the new WTC cycle, notching back-to-back centuries in the home Test series against Bangladesh. After Bangladesh posted 495 in Galle, Nissanka responded with a career-best 187, which included 24 boundaries and a six. His effort helped Sri Lanka come within 10 runs of the total.

Following a difficult 32-over phase towards the end of the game, Nissanka's grit secured 24 in a tense second innings, securing a draw. In the second Test, he complemented it with another brilliant knock of 158, studded with 19 fours. His brilliant batting helped Sri Lanka post a 211-run lead, setting the stage for a crucial innings-and-78-run win and a 1-0 series win.

In June, all the nominees performed game-altering pieces of work, either through series-defining consistency or under extremely tight final situations. The ICC Men's Player of the Month for June 2025 is now open to vote for by fans.

Crickets lovers around the globe are awaiting for the ICC Men's Player of the Month for January 2025. This time, the nomination of players features individuals from three cricketing countries that have really fantsatic on field over the past month. The nominees are 

• Noman Ali (Pakistan)
• Jomel Warrican (West Indies)
• Varun Chakravarthy (India)

Lets take a close look on them:

1. Noman Ali (Pakistan)
Left-arm spinner of Pakistan ,Noman Ali is an experience one and the reason he is here, a quality which can provide them the wickets with good spell of overs in test matches, his controlling of the run rate was much more useful to Pakistan .His performance played a key role in his nomination.

2. Jomel Warrican (West Indies)

Jomel Warrican, another left-arm spinner, is something different for the West Indies. He has been consistent in wicket taking and in economical spells at crucial times to help his team. His show in some of the recent matches has made him a strog container for the award.

3. Varun Chakravarthy (India)
India's mystery spinner, Varun Chakravarthy, has earned his recognition in limited-overs cricket with variations and accuracy. He has won the match with his spin, destroing batting order. Hence is well deserved of this nomination.

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Performance Comparison for nominees (January 2025)

The Nominees for ICC Men's Player of the Month - January 2025 🏆

1) Noman Ali 🇵🇰
2) Jomel Warrican 🌴
3) Varun Chakravarthy 🇮🇳

Who will win the award? 👀#Cricket #ICC #India #VarunChakravarthy pic.twitter.com/FaTQNNoGDU

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) February 6, 2025

The result will come  with a selection through voting for both the ICC Voting Academy as well as ,the cricket watching Fans . ICC Men's Player of the Month - January 2025. Competition and struggle seem great due to remarkable abilities for the nominees.
Who do you think will take the crown?  

Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana were honored as the ICC Players of the Month for June. Bumrah, known for his pivotal role in India’s men’s team, earned the Men’s Player of the Month award following a standout performance at the T20 World Cup 2024, where he was also named Player of the Tournament.

During the tournament in the USA and the Caribbean, the 30 year old demonstrated exceptional consistency, claiming 15 wickets with an impressive average of 8.26 and an economy rate of 4.17.

Bumrah’s dominance in T20 World Cup 2024

Throughout the T20 World Cup, Bumrah showcased his skill, starting with a stellar 3-6 against Ireland and a match winning 3-14 vs Pakistan. His contribution continued with crucial wickets in the Super Eights and a decisive 2-12 in the semi-finals against England. In the final in Barbados, he maintained his form with figures of 2-18, helping India clinch the championship.

Expressing gratitude to his family and fellow nominees, Bumrah highlighted the significance of the honor.

“I am delighted to be named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for June. It’s a special honour for me following a memorable few weeks spent in the USA and West Indies. We have had a lot to celebrate as a team, and I’m delighted to be able to add this personal accolade to the list.

“I wish to congratulate my captain Rohit Sharma and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for their excellent performances in the same period, and I am humbled to have been chosen as the winner.

“Finally, I want to thank my family, all of my teammates and coaches as well as the fans who have voted for me. Their support pushes me to compete at the best of my ability in national colours.”

Mandhana’s breakthrough achievement

Smriti Mandhana, a key figure in India’s women’s team batting lineup, secured her first ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for June. Her achievement came after an outstanding series that included three ODIs and a Test match.

Mandhana played pivotal roles in India’s victories over South Africa, including impressive centuries in the ODIs and a crucial 149 in the Test match alongside Shafali Verma.

“I’m glad to be named ICC Women’s Player of the Month for the month of June. I’m really happy with the way I think the team has performed and I’m happy to contribute for us, winning the ODI and the Test series. Hopefully we can continue our form, and I can even further contribute to win matches for India.”

Reflecting on her performance, Mandhana emphasized her commitment to contributing further to the team’s success moving forward.