Image: Shubman Gill faces a tough competition in the race for ICC Player of the Month / © CricTracker
In the latest ICC Player of the Month nominations for February 2025, Shubman Gill is the only Indian player to make the list. The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the nominees on March 7, featuring three Australians, one Indian, one New Zealander, and one Thai cricketer across men’s and women’s categories.
Gill’s inclusion comes after his stellar performances in February, alongside New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips and Australia’s Steve Smith in the men’s category. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Thipatcha Putthawong, along with Australian stars Alana King and Annabel Sutherland, are the women’s nominees, with Putthawong earning recognition for her standout performances in the Nepal Women’s Tri-Nation Series.
Meanwhile, ahead of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final, Cheteshwar Pujara dismissed claims that India had an “unfair advantage” due to playing all matches in Dubai. Critics argue that India’s familiarity with UAE conditions played a role in their dominance, but Pujara countered by stating that the schedule was predetermined due to security concerns in Pakistan.
He credited India’s all-round strength, including Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel, as the real reason for their success. Pujara also highlighted the impact of India’s spin duo, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, arguing that their quality is unmatched by other teams, making India the favorites to win the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand.