Rahul Dravid, Mithali Raj and Roger Binny are set to receive the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) lifetime achievement awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to Indian cricket. The awards, officially titled the ‘Colonel C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award’, will be presented on 15 March in Delhi.
Dravid, long regarded as a symbol of batting excellence, has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s cricketing future. After retiring from playing, he took on coaching responsibilities for India’s Under-19 and ‘A’ teams before serving as head coach of the national team. Under his guidance, India won the 2024 T20 World Cup. He has also contributed significantly to domestic cricket, mentoring coaches who now operate across the Indian Premier League and other tournaments.
Roger Binny, a member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning squad, transitioned into coaching after his playing career, leading India’s Under-19 team to the 2000 Youth World Cup title. He later served as the chief selector for the national team and as BCCI president, helping shape Indian cricket at the administrative level.
Mithali Raj has been a trailblazer in women’s cricket, playing 333 international matches across all formats. Under her captaincy, India reached two World Cup finals, and she became the first female cricketer globally to surpass 10,000 international runs. Her contributions have elevated the profile of women’s cricket in India and worldwide.
The ceremony will also honour other notable performers from the 2024–25 season. Shubman Gill will receive the award for best international male cricketer for the second time, while Smriti Mandhana will claim the best female cricketer award for the fifth time. In domestic women’s cricket, Mumbai’s Ira Yadav has been recognised as the top junior player, and Haryana’s Shefali Verma as the top senior player. The award for best limited-overs all-rounder went to Mumbai’s Ayush Matre, while Harsh Dube was named the best all-rounder of the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy season.
Mumbai Cricket Association continues to dominate BCCI’s domestic tournaments, having secured four trophies and two runner-up finishes in 2024–25, highlighting the region’s sustained excellence.
