Former India head coach Ravi Shastri is set to receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in a ceremony scheduled in Hyderabad on Tuesday. Additionally, emerging batting sensation Shubman Gill will be honored as the Cricketer of the Year for his remarkable performances in the past year, achieving the title of the fastest batter to surpass the 2000-run mark in ODIs and smashing five centuries in the format.
"He (Shastri) has been chosen for the honour while Gill will be awarded the cricketer of the year," said a BCCI official, TOI quoted.
The BCCI is set to organize the award ceremony for the first time since 2019, with both the Indian and English cricket teams anticipated to attend before their inaugural Test match on Thursday, January 25.
Ravi Shastri, a 61-year-old cricket stalwart, represented India in 80 Tests and 150 ODIs during his playing career. Following retirement, he transitioned into a renowned broadcaster. Shastri embarked on his coaching journey with the Indian team, first as the director from 2014 to 2016, and later as the head coach with Virat Kohli as the captain until the 2021 T20 World Cup. One of the notable highlights of his coaching tenure was India's consecutive Test series win in Australia. However, despite their successes, Shastri and Kohli couldn't secure an ICC title during their leadership.
Under Shastri's guidance, India reached the final of the World Test Championship (WTC) but suffered a defeat against New Zealand. The team also made it to the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup. Shastri bid farewell after the T20 World Cup in 2021, expressing pride in the team's accomplishments. He remarked, "The quality of cricket this team has played over the last five years across all formats, the performances are there for everyone to see. When you perform in that fashion, when you go across the globe, across all formats, and beat teams, then you know you’re part of one great cricket team."
In addition to Shastri, the spotlight will shine on Shubman Gill, the 22-year-old batting prodigy who has made significant strides in international cricket. His achievements include becoming the fastest batter to reach 2000 ODI runs and recording five centuries in the format. Gill's stellar performances have earned him the recognition as the BCCI Cricketer of the Year, solidifying his status as a rising star in Indian cricket.
The award ceremony is anticipated to be a momentous occasion, bringing together cricketing luminaries to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Ravi Shastri and Shubman Gill to the sport of cricket.
