Shubman Gill Creates History with Fourth ICC Men’s Player of the Month Award, Sophia Dunkley Claims Women’s Honour
India captain Shubman Gill and England batter Sophia Dunkley have been named the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for July 2025, following a voting process that combined input from an expert panel of former internationals and media, as well as fans worldwide.
Gill entered the record books as the first male cricketer to secure the Player of the Month award four times, thanks to his exceptional form during India’s Test series in England. Across three July Tests, he amassed 567 runs at an extraordinary average of 94.50. His earlier wins came in January 2023, September 2023, and February 2025. In the women’s game, Dunkley’s consistent performances across formats saw her edge out teammate Sophie Ecclestone and Ireland skipper Gaby Lewis for the award.
Dashing top-order batter with consistent returns has been crowned the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for July 2025
— ICC (@ICC) August 12, 2025
Gill’s Historic Feat
Gill’s standout moment came in the second Test at Birmingham, where he compiled a monumental 269 and 161, giving him an aggregate of 430 runs in a single match, the second-highest ever total in Test history. His heroics levelled the series 1-1, and later in the fourth Test in Manchester, he added a crucial 103 in the second innings to secure a draw and keep India alive in the series.
Gill’s 269 runs were the highest score by an Indian captain in Test cricket on English soil, and he also became only the second Indian captain to hit a double century overseas after Virat Kohli. Despite a dip in form at Lord’s where he scored 16 and 6, he bounced back strongly with a crucial 103 at Old Trafford, helping India secure a vital draw.
Overall, Gill finished the five-Test series with an impressive 754 runs at an average of 75.40, earning him the Player of the Series award and cementing his status as a formidable captain and batsman.
Interestingly, in ICC Player of the Month history, only two women’s stars Ash Gardner and Hayley Matthews have also won the award four times.
Gill triumphed over England captain Ben Stokes and South Africa all-rounder Wiaan Mulder in the final voting.
Reflecting on the honour, Gill said:
“It feels great to be named the ICC Player of the Month for July. This time it holds a lot more significance since it has come for my performances during my first Test series as captain. The double ton in Birmingham is obviously something I will cherish forever and will be one of the highlights of my tour to England. The Test series against England was a learning experience for me as captain and we had some outstanding performances from both sides, which I am sure players from both sides will remember for a long time.
“I would like to thank the jury for selecting me for this award and my teammates who have been with me during the course of this exciting series. I look forward to continuing my form in the season ahead and bring more laurels for the country.”