Shubman Gill wins ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for September 2026
DUBAI: India captain Shubman Gill has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for September 2026, beating fellow nominees Abhishek Sharma and Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza to claim the honour.
Gill earned the award after producing a remarkable batting performance in the first two ODIs of India’s series against the West Indies, scoring 333 runs, including a century in the opening match and an unbeaten double century in the second. India won both matches by eight wickets.
In the first ODI, played in Thiruvananthapuram on 27 September, Gill scored 110 off 108 balls as India successfully chased down the West Indies’ total of 295-7, reaching 296 in 41.4 overs.
Three days later in Guwahati, the West Indies posted 405-7, their first ODI total exceeding 400 runs. Gill, leading India, responded with a sensational unbeaten 223 off 133 deliveries, striking 26 fours and eight sixes.
India reached 406-2 in just 43.3 overs, completing the chase with 39 balls to spare.
Gill brought up his century off 62 balls, the fastest by an Indian captain in ODIs, before reaching his double century in 117 deliveries, the fastest in ODI history. His innings also established the highest individual score in a successful ODI run chase.
He shared a record-breaking 255-run opening partnership with Rohit Sharma, who contributed 101 off 75 balls. The stand was India’s highest opening partnership on home soil in ODIs.
The remarkable chase became the second-highest successful run chase in ODI history, behind South Africa’s 438-9 against Australia in Johannesburg in 2006.
India eventually won the three-match series 2-1, despite losing the third ODI on 3 October.
The latest recognition marks Gill’s fifth ICC Men’s Player of the Month award, having previously won in January 2023, September 2023, February 2025 and July 2025. The achievement extends his record as the men’s player with the most wins in the award’s history.
Sanju Samson, who won the award in March 2026, was the previous Indian men’s recipient. Indian men’s cricketers have now claimed the honour 17 times across 11 players, with Gill accounting for five of those victories.
Reacting to the achievement, Gill expressed his gratitude to the selection panel and highlighted the significance of his performances in front of home supporters.
“It feels fantastic to win my fifth ICC Player of the Month award, and I am grateful to the panel for this honour,” Gill said.
“It was immensely satisfying to score those runs and even more special to be part of successful run chases in front of our home fans, whose support always gives us an extra boost.”
The Indian captain also emphasised the need to adapt to the increasingly demanding nature of ODI cricket.
“The pace of ODI cricket has gone up significantly, and you must think on your feet, assess the conditions quickly and adapt to the demands of the pitch,” he said.
With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup scheduled to take place in southern Africa next year, Gill said India were focused on continuing to improve and building a balanced squad capable of competing at the highest level.
“With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in southern Africa next year, we are determined to keep raising our standards and build a strong, well-rounded team capable of rising to the challenges ahead,” he added.
