India’s Test captain Shubman Gill has earned a spot among the three nominees for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for July 2025, joined by England’s Ben Stokes and South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder. Gill’s nomination comes on the back of a record-breaking performance in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England, where his leadership and batting prowess led India to a hard-fought 2-2 draw in a thrilling five-Test series.
Gill, 25, amassed 754 runs across the series at an average of 75.40, smashing four centuries, including a double ton, to surpass Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 732 runs for an Indian captain in a five-Test series. His tally ranks second only to Sir Donald Bradman’s 810 runs among all-time captains.
The ICC highlighted Gill’s heroics in the second Test at Edgbaston, where he scored 269 in the first innings and 161 in the second, totaling 430 runs in the match—second only to Graham Gooch’s 456. His gritty 103 in the second innings at Old Trafford was pivotal in securing a draw, keeping India’s series hopes alive. “Gill’s consistency at No. 4, carrying the baton from Virat Kohli, provided stability and flair, combined with extraordinary captaincy in his debut series,” the ICC noted.
South Africa’s Wiaan Mulder, also 25, made waves in his maiden stint as Test captain against Zimbabwe. Mulder scored 531 runs at an astonishing average of 265.50, including a record-breaking 367 not out in the second Test at Bulawayo—the highest individual score in South African Test history. Opting not to chase Brian Lara’s 400 not out, Mulder declared to prioritize team strategy. His all-round brilliance included seven wickets at 15.28, with a four-wicket haul in the first Test, earning him Player of the Series honors.
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England captain Ben Stokes, 34, showcased his all-round mastery with 251 runs at 50.20 and 12 wickets at 26.33 against India. His leadership and clutch performances, including long bowling spells that broke key partnerships, kept England competitive. Stokes’ ability to deliver with bat and ball in high-pressure moments made him a standout, as per the ICC.
The ICC Player of the Month award will be decided by a combination of votes from the ICC Voting Academy, comprising cricket journalists, former players, and ICC Hall of Famers, holding 90% weight, and global fan votes on icc-cricket.com/awards, accounting for 10%. Gill, who previously won the award in January and September 2023 and February 2025, is a frontrunner, but faces tough competition from Mulder’s historic feats and Stokes’ all-round brilliance.
The winner will be announced next week, with fans eagerly awaiting the outcome of this tight race.
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