Shubman Gill among nominees for ICC’s Player of the Month award after stellar run
Shubman Gill nominated for ICC Player of the Month after scoring 754 runs vs England, breaking records with four centuries and standout captaincy.
New Delhi: India's young captain Shubman Gill has been nominated for the ICC Player of the Month award for July following a phenomenal showing in the recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England. He joins South Africa's Wiaan Mulder and England skipper Ben Stokes as the three shortlisted players.
Gill had a series to remember not just as a captain but as a player as well. As he took over reins of the relatively young Indian side, he guided them to a 2-2 draw in a hard-fought five-Test series but it was his batting that truly stole the spotlight.
Gill record breaking spell in England
In five Tests, Gill amassed 754 runs at an average of 75.40 including four centuries and a double handard. In doing so, he even surpassed Sunil Gavaskar's long-standing record of 732 runs for most runs by an Indian captain in a five-Test series. In five Tests he scored four centuries. That tally now stands as the second-highest ever by a Test in such a series behind only Don Bradman's 810.
One of Gill's standout performances came in the Edgbaston Test where he hammered 269 in the first innings and followed it up with 161 in the second. His combined 430 runs in that match is the second-highest in Test history, only behind Graham Gooch's iconic 456.
The ICC lauded Gill's calm presence at No. 4 and credited him for picking up the mantle from Virat Kohli with both stability and flair. His captaincy was also highlighted, especially given that this was his first assignment as full-time skipper.
Mulder, Stokes complete the shortlist
South Africa's Wiaan Mulder also made headlines with his incredible double century. In his first series as captain, Mulder scored 531 runs in two Tests against Zimbabwe including an unbeaten 367 marking the highest individual score in South African Test history. He also chipped in with the ball, taking seven wickets across both matches.
Meanwhile, Ben Stokes was England's standout man in the Anderson-Tendulkar series. He made 251 runs at an average of just over 50 and picked up 12 wickets. More than the numbers, it was his knack for delivering under pressure with both bat and ball that stood out.
The ICC Player of the Month award will now go to the cricketer who had the most impact in July but there is not doubt Gill has made a loud and clear statement on the global stage.