Shubman Gill named ICC Men's Player of the Month for January

Dubai, Feb 13 (IANS) India's Shubman Gill, who hammered a magnificent double hundred against New Zealand last month, has been named the ICC Men's Player of the Month for January 2023, voted ahead of New Zealand's Devon Conway and compatriot Mohammed Siraj.

This is the first time that Gill has won the ICC Player of the Moth award following another fine series of performances in ODI cricket.

Gill was the top contender in the shortlist With 567 runs during January, which included three century-plus scores, and the 23-year-old batter expectedly won the award.

Gill had wowed fans in January with a lethal combination of graceful and attacking strokeplay.

In a month in which India played a lot of white-ball matches, there were several highlights for Gill. His stand-out performance came in the form of a stunning double-hundred in the nail-biting victory over New Zealand in the series opener in Hyderabad.

Gill's unbeaten 208 came in just 149 balls with 28 boundaries - a startling feat not just because it made him the youngest double-centurion in the ODI format, but because all those around him seemed to falter on a difficult pitch for batters.

Besides the superb double century, Gill also scored two more centuries -- 116 in a dominant victory over Sri Lanka and 112 in the final ODI against New Zealand.

Gill overcame a competitive field to claim the award, beating New Zealand opener Devon Conway and compatriot Mohammed Siraj in the global vote. In doing so, he becomes the first Indian winner since Virat Kohli in October 2022, the ICC informed in a release on Monday.

Reflecting on his excellent month and the ICC Men's Player of the Month prize, Gill said, "I am thrilled to have been voted the ICC Men's Player of the Month by the ICC panel and global cricket fans. January was a special month for me and winning this award makes it all the more memorable. I owe this success to my teammates and coaches who continue to support me as a player, and I'd like to congratulate my fellow nominees on their excellent performances also.

"It is always heartening to be recognised for your performances, and I will take great confidence from these innings, especially as we head into an extremely important period before an ICC Men's Cricket World Cup on home soil," Gill was quoted as saying by the ICC.

Former Zimbabwe international and voting panel member Pommie Mbangwa added: "The month gone by was seemingly a re-announcement of the talent of Shubman Gill. His languid elegance and beautiful style have been evident right from his under-19 days, and they continue.

"Gill's double century against New Zealand puts him in an elite club and may signal the take-off of his career proper. He's had a prolific month of cricket with the bat in hand and it has been a sight to behold," Mbangwa added.