Talismanic pacer Jasprit Bumrah was chosen for the BCCI’s Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer 2023-24 in men’s category while elegant batter Smriti Mandhana was picked for the corresponding women’s trophy in the Board’s annual honours that will be presented in Mumbai on Saturday. Bumrah, who was selected as the ICC Test and overall Cricketer of the Year for delivering a “a master-class in skill, precision, and relentless consistency”, was India’s standout bowler last year, playing a pivotal role in India’s home wins over England and Bangladesh.
The 31-year-old was also the Player of the Series against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, bagging 32 wickets across five Tests.
Mandhana, who was the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, made 743 runs in the 2024 calendar year.
She scored four ODI centuries, a record in the women’s game, and found the boundary more than a hundred times in the year, hitting 95 fours and six maximums.
The 28-year-old cricketer’s ODI runs came at an average of 57.86 and an impressive strike rate of 95.15.
Spin great Ravichandran Ashwin, who retired from international cricket in December 2024 as India’s second highest wicket-taker in Tests with 537 dismissals and overall eighth highest, has been bestowed with a special award at the end of his career.
The 37-year-old Ashwin, who made his Test debut in November 2011, played a defining role in India’s 12-year domination in the longest format at home wherein they won 18 series on the trot.
Among newcomers, Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan was picked for the Best International Debut among men for his quick-fire fifty against England in the Rajkot Test in February 2024.
The middle-order mainstay also hit a counter-attacking 150 against New Zealand in the Bengaluru Test to continue his ascent.
Among women, Asha Sobhana has been chosen for the award for Best International Debut as she picked up 4/21 against South Africa to help India win by 143 runs in their first ODI at Bengaluru in June 2024.
Mandhana will also be honoured with the Highest Run Getter in ODIs medal after she finished as the highest run-scorer in 2024, smacking 747 runs at 57.46 in 13 matches with four tons and one fifty.
Similarly, Deepti Sharma was awarded with the Highest Wickets in ODIs medal for taking 24 wickets in 13 matches.
Tanush Kotian continued to make waves with his rise through the ranks in Mumbai in the 2023-24 season, which culminated with his maiden call-ups for the India A side for their tour of Australia and subsequently for the Indian team for the last two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Kotian will be awarded with the Best Performance in BCCI Domestic Tournaments trophy.
The 26-year-old, who rose to limelight with all-round performances in Mumbai’s 42nd Ranji Trophy win in 2023-24, scored 502 runs in 10 matches at 41.83 with one century and five fifties and also grabbed 29 wickets.
Having won the Ranji Trophy for a record-extending 42nd time in the season, Mumbai also claimed the Irani Cup after a gap of 27 years.
The Mumbai Cricket Association would be given the Best Performance in BCCI Domestic Tournaments Trophy for winning various titles such as Ranji Trophy, U-16 Vijay Merchant Trophy, U-14 West Zone Championship, senior women’s T20 Trophy, women’s U-19 One Day Trophy, Bapuna Cup T20 Tournament and men’s U-19 All India Tournament.
Mumbai teams also finished as runner-up in Cooch Behar U-19 Trophy and Vinoo Mankad U-19 Trophy.
Akshay Totre from Indore was adjudged the Best Umpire in Domestic Cricket for the season.
Legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar has been chosen for Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.
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