In a star-studded BCCI Naman Awards night, Rahul Dravid’s instrumental role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph earned him the Colonel C.K. Naidu Lifetime Achievement Award. Taking over as head coach in late 2021, Dravid’s strategic acumen propelled the team to ODI World Cup final in 2023, blending resilience with innovation.
Mithali Raj, the trailblazer of Indian women’s cricket, and Roger Binny, ex-BCCI chief, were fellow lifetime recipients, celebrating decades of service. The event transitioned seamlessly to contemporary heroes: Shubman Gill as best international men’s cricketer, Smriti Mandhana’s record fifth women’s award, and debut awards for Harshit Rana and Shree Charani.
Mandhana’s dual dominance in runs and her category shone, matched by Deepti Sharma’s wicket haul in ODIs. Home turf heroes included Mumbai’s top domestic showing, all-round brilliance from Ayush Mhatre (limited-overs) and Harsh Dubey (Ranji), plus junior excellence. Shefali Verma ruled senior women’s domestic ODIs, while under-16 aces like Yashvardhan Singh Chauhan and Shantanu Singh, and U19 stars such as Hemchudan J and Nitya J Pandya, claimed bowling and batting crowns in elite groups.
Ranji elites YV Rathod (runs) and Harsh Dubey (wickets) led the way, with plate group standouts like Snehal Kauthankar and Suchit J. This comprehensive recognition from BCCI paints a vibrant picture of cricket’s depth in India, honoring past masters while spotlighting future champions.