Every cricketer's dream is to play for his country but when his game is appreciated at the international level and he is honored with the biggest award of that game, then it shows the ability, dedication and hard work of that player. 

Similarly, considering the performance throughout the year in cricket, the international body of cricket honors the players with ICC Award every year.

It is part of the ICC Awards and is one of the most prestigious individual accolades in cricket, recognizing outstanding consistency, impact, and contributions to the sport at the international level.

The recipient is awarded the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, named after the legendary West Indies all-rounder.

In this article, we will take a look at the Indian cricketers who have won ICC Cricketer of the Year Award (Men's and Women's) so far.

ICC Cricketer of the Year Award (Men's and Women's) | Indian cricketer 

Rahul Dravid | 2004

Former India captain Rahul Dravid won the two prestigious awards in the year 2004. He was the first Indian to secure any ICC awards. 

Fondly dubbed as ‘The Wall’ by fans, Dravid’s heroics in the longest format of the game are known to all, and he put out one of his finest performances in 2004.

The former India head coach played 12 Tests that year, scoring 946 runs at an average of 67.6, including two centuries and four fifties. 

His highest score in Test cricket that year came against Pakistan in Rawalpindi as he notched up a humungous 270(495), helping India get to a first-innings total of 600 after the hosts’ 224.

Overall, Dravid finished with 1971 runs in 43 international matches, Tests and ODIs combined. 

He hit three hundreds and a massive 14 half-centuries, hitting 207 fours and five sixes. 

Since the T20I format wasn’t introduced in 2004, Dravid finished with 1025 runs in 31 ODIs.

Also Read: ICC Men's Cricketer of the year since 2004

Jhulan Goswami | 2007

Jhulan Goswami has become the first player from India to take the ICC Women's Player of the Year award in 2007. 

Goswami was also India's only representative in the individual player awards, with no representation from the men in the shortlist. 

She edged out Australia's Lisa Sthalekar and England's Claire Taylor.

The title was just reward for her bowling average of 12.40 in Tests and 21.80 in ODIs and, since Australia's Cathryn Fitzpatrick retired earlier this year, Goswami has also become the fastest female bowler in the world. 

She may have pace, but she has the accuracy to match, with an economy rate of 2.10 in Tests and 3.17 in ODIs.

Goswami is the second winner of the award after Karen Rolton won the prize in 2006.

Sachin Tendulkar | 2010

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar won the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in 2010. 

Tendulkar fought off competition from Sehwag, Hashim Amla and Graeme Swann, the other nominees in the Cricketer of the Year category.

During the period Tendulkar scored 1064 runs at an average of 81.84 in ten Tests. 

He made 914 runs in 17 ODIs at 65.28, and also scored the format's first double-century against South Africa in Gwalior. 

Tendulkar was 37 years old in 2010, and he holds the record for being the oldest cricketer to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.

Ravichandran Ashwin | 2016

Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin, who very recently announced his retirement from international cricket, won the esteemed awards in the year 2016. 

Ashwin played his last international game against Australia and ended his career after the third Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test at The Gabba.

Ashwin finished the year 2016 with 72 wickets in just 12 Tests, including eight five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket hauls. 

He also added 612 runs to his account, including two half-centuries.

Ashwin played only two ODIs and picked up two wickets while he played 17 T20Is, taking 23 scalps and registering bowling figures of 4/8 that year. 

Overall, the now 38-year-old played 31 international matches and picked up 97 wickets.

Virat Kohli | 2017

Indian former Test skipper Virat Kohli has won the ICC Men's Cricketer Of The Year award first time in 2017 for his brilliant run at international cricket.

Kohli has aggregated 1059 runs in 10 tests, while he smashed 1460 runs in 26 ODIs. 

Kohli has smashed 11 hundred including three double hundreds across formats in the year 2017. 

Meanwhile, with 299 T20I runs, Virat Kohli has aggregated 2818 runs in 2017 across formats. 

He has also registered 27,324 runs so far during his international cricket career. 

Therefore for his brilliant performance throughout the year, he has been rewarded with the ICC Men's Cricketer Of The Year award.

Also Read: ICC Men's Cricketer of the year winners of last ten years

Virat Kohli | 2018

Yes, you read it write it's again Virat Kohli who has won the award back to back in 2017 & 2018. 

Former Indian skipper Kohli has also broken the record of Sachin Tendulkar to become the fastest to score 10000 runs in ODI cricket this year. 

Kohli has aggregated 2735 runs across formats in 2018 including 11 hundred to his name. The former Indian white-ball captain has also retained the Border Gavaskar Trophy in the same year. 

Kohli has ended the year as the number 1 batsman in Tests and ODIs. 

Therefore, he received the award from ICC as the men's cricketer of the year 2018.

Smriti Mandhana | 2018

Smriti Mandhana has won the ICC's Women's Cricketer of the Year Award in 2018. 

Mandhana, who was named ICC Women's Cricketer of the Year and ODI Cricketer of the Year in 2018, pipped fellow opening batters Beaumont, Lizelle Lee of South Africa, and Gaby Lewis of Ireland to the honour. 

Jhulan Goswami, who won the same award in 2007, is the only other Indian woman to ever win an ICC annual award.

In 2018, Mandhana had finished atop the run chart in women's ODIs with 669 runs at an average of 66.90 and was the third-highest scorer in T20Is with 622 runs at a strike rate of 130.67.

Jasprit Bumrah | 2024

Jasprit Bumrah was awarded the ICC Men's Cricketer of the Year in 2024 due to his outstanding performances in all formats of the game.

Bumrah also became the first Indian pacer to win the award and was instrumental in India's success in the home Test series against England and Bangladesh. 

He also played a crucial role in the T20 World Cup win for his side.

Bumrah beat tough competition from Travis Head, Joe Root and Harry Brook to win the prestigious award. 

The pacer became the 5th Indian to win the award after Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran Ashwin (2016) and Virat Kohli (2017, 2018).

Bumrah also won the ICC men's Test Cricketer Of The Year award as well after being the standout performer for India during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, where he picked up 32 wickets.

The Indian pacer started the year with a terrific performance against England at home before he switched his attention to the T20 World Cup. 

Bumrah ended the tournament with 15 wickets and an average of 8.26 as India defeated South Africa in the final to lift the trophy.

The Indian pacer was adjudged as the Player Of the Tournament for his performance.

Bumrah's performance in Tests made him really stand out from the rest of the nominees. The pacer picked up 71 wickets in 13 matches, the highest by any bowler in 2024.

In the history of Indian Test Cricket, reaching the 2000-run milestone has always been a matter of pride. While many have achieved this feat, only a few have done so with remarkable speed.

Currently, the record for the fastest Indians to score 2000 test runs is jointly held by Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid, both accomplishing it in 40 innings. However, a new name is on the verge of making history: Yashasvi Jaiswal, with 1798 runs from 36 innings, needs only 202 more runs.

If Jaiswal reaches this in 3 or fewer innings, potentially in the upcoming test series against England (starts on June 20, 2025), he will break the legendary record and reach on top!

Now, let's look at the elite list of players who previously set the standard by being the fastest Indians to reach 2000 test runs.

1. Rahul Dravid (40 innings)

Rahul Dravid, famously known as "The Wall" for his brilliant defensive technique and concentration in tests, reached 2000 test runs in just 40 innings. His ability to bat for longer periods and wearing down the opposition was a key aspect for India's Test success.

Read Also: Most successful Test captains from India

2. Virender Sehwag (40 innings)

Virender Sehwag, the aggressive opening batsman, matched Dravid's record by also reaching 2000 test runs in 40 innings. He was known for his fearless approach while batting at the top of the order.

He is also the only Indian to score 2 triple centuries in his test career.

3. Vijay Hazare (43 innings)

An icon of Indian cricket's early era, Vijay Hazare reached 2000 test runs in 43 innings. He was an incredible run-scorer in his time, known for his elegant batting and contributions.

His contributions mattered highly during a period when Indian cricket was finding its status on the international stage.

4. Gautam Gambhir (43 innings)

The bold left-handed opener, Gautam Gambhir, also reached 2000 test runs in 43 innings. He was a crucial part of India's top order in the late 2000s and early 2010s.

Gambhir was known for his mental toughness and ability to play long innings when required, with high determination and focus.

Read Also: India's 2011 World Cup winning squad: Where are they now?

5. Sunil Gavaskar (44 innings)

Sunil Gavaskar, one of the greatest opener in Tests cricket history, scored 2000 test runs in 44 innings. He was known for batting fearlessly and facing West Indian fast bowlers without modern protective gear.

Gavaskar was the first player to reach 10000-run mark in test cricket history, and also holds the 3rd place for most runs for India in tests.

The schedule of the ICC Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 has been released. The Women's World Cup will begin on September 30 with hosts India playing their first match against Sri Lanka at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Also Read: BCCI announce Indian women's squad for ODI and T20I series against England

The eight-team tournament will be a round-robin format with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals. The much-awaited final will be played on November 2. Australia will begin their campaign against New Zealand on October 1 at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore.

India vs Pakistan Match details

Due to tension between India and Pakistan, Pakistan will play all its matches in Colombo, Sri Lanka under the hybrid hosting model agreed upon by BCCI and PCB. In such a situation, the teams playing with Pakistan including India will go to Colombo, which is a neutral venue.

The most awaited match of the group stage between India and Pakistan will be played on 5th October in Colombo.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Venues

• India : Bengaluru, Guwahati, Indore, Visakhapatnam 
• Sri Lanka : Colombo

The tournament will be held at five major venues in the two countries. Bengaluru and Colombo have been shortlisted as potential hosts for the final.

Women's Cricket World Cup 2025: Full Schedule

Australia's star fast bowler Mitchell Starc added a big achievement to his name on Wednesday by becoming the bowler to take the most wickets in ICC tournament finals. Starc achieved this feat by taking two wickets on the first day of the World Test Championship 2025 final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing his fifth ICC final, has taken 11 wickets so far and is expected to increase it.

Also Read: Highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25

With this, Starc also broke the record of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami as soon as he took the second wicket. This record was earlier in the name of Shami, who had taken 10 wickets in four ICC finals.

So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

6. Glenn McGrath | 8 Wickets

The former legendary Australia pacer Glenn McGrath featured in a total of 5 ICC finals for the Baggy Greens and took 8 Wickets for his team. McGrath was one of Australia’s most important players for several years and he always stepped-up big time in finals of major tournaments.

McGrath was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2002 edition of the ICC tournament with 8 wickets in 3 matches after Muttaih Muralidharan who has claimed 10 wickets in as many games.

5. Kyle Jamieson | 8 Wickets

New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson also took 8 Wickets in the ICC tournament finals after appearing in 3 innings. In the 2019–2021 World Test Championship Final, Jamieson was named as the man of the match, after taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

4. Ravindra Jadeja | 8 Wickets

Ravindra Jadeja comes fourth on this list. Jadeja’s evolution from a utility player to a match-winner is reflected in his 8 ICC final appearances. In his 8 finals, Jadeja dismissed 8 players in ICC tournament finals.

His all-round prowess was key to India’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, where he was the leading wicket-taker. He has since played vital roles in T20 World Cup finals and two successive WTC finals (2021, 2023), as well as the 2025 Champions Trophy. 

3. Trent Boult | 8 Wickets

New Zealand's veteran pacer Trent Boult is true to the 'big-match player' tag with 8 wickets in his 4 ICC Finals. Boult played a massive role in the Kiwis' success in ICC tournaments and gave brilliant bowling performances in the finals as well.

Boult was also the joint leading wicket taker at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In 2018, he became the third bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in ODIs.

2. Mohammed Shami | 10 Wickets

India's star bowler Mohammed Shami now comes second in this list. In four ICC finals, Shami has taken 10 wickets at an average of 38.90, an economy rate of 3.95 and best bowling figures of 4/76 in the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand.

Shami is also the leading wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in ODI World Cups and also led all bowlers in the 2023 edition with 24 wickets in seven outings. He continued his magical run in ICC events with a five-wicket haul in his maiden Champions Trophy game (ongoing contest against Bangladesh).

Also Read: Most Runs in WTC 2023-25

1. Mitchell Starc | 11* Wickets

Australia's pace ace Mitchell Starc has became the highest wicket-taker in ICC tournament finals. The left-arm quick achieved the milestone during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing in his fifth ICC final, has now taken 11 wickets across tournament deciders.

The milestone came in style as Starc struck early in South Africa's second innings, cleaning up Aiden Markram for a duck. He followed it up with the dismissal of Ryan Rickelton for 16, ending Day 1 with figures of 2/10 in a fiery spell.

He also became the joint second-highest wicket taker in ICC knockout games. He is sharing the spot with former Aussie legend Glenn McGrath and Mohammed Shami, who each have taken 22 wickets. The top spot is with former Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 23 wickets.

The cricket world, known for its constant evolution, has seen a drastic shift in a month. Over the past month, six notable players have chosen to conclude their careers on the global stage.

From legendary batsmen to powerful all-rounders, these departures mark a significant moment in the history of cricket. These aren't just names; they are players who have shaped matches and won the hearts of millions.

Explore the list of 6 cricketers who announced their retirements since last month.

1. Rohit Sharma (Test retirement) | May 7, 2025

On May 7, 2025, Rohit Sharma announced his retirement from Test cricket, marking the end of his remarkable journey as a batsman, as well as India's captain in tests. His test career lasted for 12 years since his debut in 2013.

Sharma transformed himself into a brilliant test opener in the latter half of his career. One of his defining moments in Test cricket arrived in 2019 against South Africa, where he hammered a majestic 212 runs as an opener, showcasing his ability to wear down opposition attacks.

He is the fifth-most successful Test captain for India, leading to 12 Test victories.

Rohit Sharma's stats in tests:

2. Virat Kohli (Test retirement) | May 12, 2025

Following Rohit's retirement, India lost the era's most dominant force in test cricket. The announcement of Virat Kohli's test retirement on May 12, 2025, resonated globally, leaving everyone shocked and upset. 

Kohli approached the test format with a fierce competitive spirit and hunger for runs. His dedication and skill set in this format saw him notch 7 double centuries in his test career. He also became the most successful test captain of India during the 8 years (Dec 2014-Jan 2022) of his captaincy tenure, leading to 40 wins.

This decision of Kohli to step away from tests also brought the interests of Indian fans in tests in question. This retirement indeed marked the end of an era.

Virat Kohli's stats in tests:

3. Angelo Mathews (Test retirement) | May 23, 2025

Sri Lanka's enduring test pillar, Angelo Mathews, concluded his test career on May 23, 2025. He left behind a legacy of resilience and crucial performances as an all-rounder. 

Mathews possessed the ability to adapt his game and accelerate when required. His unbeaten 200 runs against Zimbabwe in 2020 stand out as one of his vital contributions. He also took a total of 33 wickets in tests.

He led Sri Lanka in 34 matches as a captain and won 13 among them.

Angelo Mathews' stats in tests:

4. Glenn Maxwell (ODIs Retirement) | June 2, 2025

Australia's one of the most captivating hitters and match-winners, Glenn Maxwell, announced retirement from ODIs on June 2, 2025. Known for his explosive strokeplay and ability to turn the game around, he had an amazing ODI career.

Maxwell's career has many moments to highlight, but nothing can match his astonishing 201* runs against Afghanistan in the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Coming back with a back injury, this innings was a masterclass in aggressive and controlled batting.

He snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, which goes down in the history of ODI cricket.

Glenn Maxwell's stats in ODIs:

5. Heinrich Klaasen (International retirement) | June 2, 2025

On June 2, 2025, Heinrich Klaasen announced his international retirement, which marked the end of a relatively short yet impactful career as a destructive batsman in white-ball cricket. 

Since his international debut for South Africa in 2018, he has been a hard-hitter of the ball and has become one of the most feared finishers in limited-overs formats. His phenomenal 174 runs off just 83 balls against Australia in an ODI in 2023 stands as a testament to his raw hitting power and ability.

Heinrich Klaasen's international stats (2018-2025)

6. Nicholas Pooran (International retirement) | June 10, 2025

The West Indies batter, Nicholas Pooran, announced his international retirement on June 10, 2025, at the age of just 29. This marked one of the earliest retirements for a high-profile West Indies player.

As a left-hander wicket-keeper batsman, Pooran quickly established himself as an electrifying hitter in white-ball cricket. He brought an aggressive approach to the crease, with the potential to turn the game in his favour.

He has done exceptionally well in his short-lived international career. His 98 runs off 53 balls against Afghanistan in the 2024 T20 World Cup perfectly tell the story of his talent.

Nicholas Pooran's international stats (2016-2025):

As the ICC World Test Championship 2023-2025 is getting closer to the grand final, it is now time to look back at the bowlers with standout performances. They have constantly troubled batsmen which led to their team's success.

Who do you think are the ones with most wickets? Take a look at the highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25.

Jasprit Bumrah | India

Jasprit Bumrah had a remarkable campaign in WTC 2023-25 cycle and has taken the most number of wickets. He took 77 wickets in 15 matches, with an average of 15.09. 

Bumrah recorded five 5-wicket hauls in the cycle and also had his best bowling figure of 6/45 in an innings against England.

Read Also: Jasprit Bumrah becomes first-ever player to pick 200 Test wickets with an average below 20

Jasprit Bumrah stats in WTC 2023-2025

Pat Cummins | Australia 

The Australian skipper, Pat Cummins, has done wonders with the ball, by taking 73 wickets in 17 matches. He is the leading wicket taker for Australia and can also be on top by showcasing his wicket-taking skills in the WTC final against South Africa. 

His best bowling performance in the tournament was a 6-wicket haul for 91 runs.

Pat Cummins stats in WTC 2023-2025

Read Also: WTC Final: Australia and South Africa announce their squads

Mitchell Starc | Australia 

Yet another Australian legend to feature in this list, who is just behind Cummins by one wicket. This fiery left-arm pacer have always been a key bowling of their team. He took 72 wickets in 18 matches total.

Mitchell Starc's best bowling figure in WTC 2023-25 includes a 6-wicket haul for 48 runs.

Mitchell Starc stats in WTC 2023-2025

Other players with 60+ wickets in WTC 2023-25

Seems like the Aussies and Indians have purely dominated the bowling sides and got most wickets up their sleeves.

Read Also: Fav four in Test cricket: Kohli vs Root vs Williamson vs Smith stats in Tests

Here are the other players who crossed the 60 wickets mark and deserves a shoutout in the list of highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25.