The ODI format is where India has excelled well. It all started in the 1980s for the men’s team, while the women’s side has been on the rise for the last decade or so.
And the reason behind this leap in 50-over cricket is the individual brilliance shown by players. With each passing year, we have seen many players put up significant performances.
Some of them hit a purple patch of their career in a certain period, showing consistency like nothing else. This meant that they went on to emerge as the ODI Cricketer of the Year.
So here are the Indian men’s and women’s players to win the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award.
Indian Men’s Players to Win ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award
1. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni was an exciting batter in his early days, contributing heavily in the top order. And it was his batting exploits that earned him the ODI Cricketer of the Year award twice.
The first time he clinched the honour was back in 2008. Dhoni slammed 1097 runs in 26 innings, including a century and eight fifties that year.
He followed it up with another brilliant outing in 2009, delivering his best-ever performance. The keeper-batter accumulated 1198 runs in 24 innings along with two hundreds and nine half-centuries.
MSD capped off his ODI career with 10773 runs in 350 matches at an average of 50.57, including 10 centuries and 73 fifties.
Also Read | 5 Things That Set MS Dhoni Apart From Other Captains
2. Virat Kohli
Three years later, Virat Kohli became the second Indian men’s player to win the ODI Cricketer of the Year award. And he has claimed the honour a record four times.
This is enough to show how good of a player Kohli is in ODI cricket. He has been a consistent performer in the 50-over format, with four years standing out.
After two quiet years following his debut, Kohli started hitting the right notes from 2010 onwards. And his best came in the 2011-12 season, as he amassed 1243 runs in 21 games to win the annual award.
The right-hander was then on a rampage in 2017 and 2018. He scored 1460 runs in 26 innings, including six tons in 2017, and hammered 1202 runs in 14 outings along with another six centuries the next year.
Kohli won his fourth ODI Cricketer of the Year title in 2023 after hitting the top gear. He was in the form of his lifetime, scoring 1377 runs in 24 innings, including six hundreds. He also surpassed Sachin Tendulkar’s century tally by bringing his 50th ODI ton.
Check: Other ICC Awards Won by Virat Kohli
3. Rohit Sharma
In 2019, Rohit Sharma became the third Indian men’s player to clinch the award. The right-hand batter dished out a remarkable performance that year.
He was the lynchpin of India’s batting attack, scoring a whopping 1490 runs in 27 innings. The opener’s tally also included seven hundreds and six fifties.
Also Read | Five Reasons that make Rohit Sharma a Special Batsman
Indian Women’s Players to Win ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year Award
1. Smriti Mandhana
Smriti Mandhana is the only Indian women’s player to win the ODI Cricketer of the Year award. And she has won the honour twice in 2018 and 2024.
The left-arm opener has been a trailblazer for India women in ODIs. She was in her element in 2018, delivering a breakout performance.
Mandhana racked up 669 runs in 12 innings at an average of 66.90. She capped off the year with one century and seven half-centuries.
Mandhana then peaked in 2024, slamming 747 runs in 13 outings while averaging 57.46. She also scored four centuries and three fifties to round off a fantastic year.
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