South Africa's Marco Jansen and India's Deepti Sharma have been rewarded for their exceptional performances in international cricket after being named
the ICC Men's and Women's Players of the Month for October.
While Jansen has secured the prestigious recognition for the first time in his career, Indian all-rounder Deepti has added another accolade to her collection, winning the women's award for the second time.
Both players enjoyed an impressive month, making valuable contributions with both bat and ball to help their respective teams achieve important results on the international stage.
Jansen's outstanding performances against Australia in the ICC World Test Championship series proved decisive in securing his maiden Men's Player of the Month award.
The left-arm fast-bowling all-rounder accumulated 198 runs and picked up 13 wickets during the assessment period. His most memorable display came in the second Test against Australia in Gqeberha, where he produced an exceptional all-round performance.
After scoring a crucial 85 runs with the bat, Jansen continued to trouble the Australian batting line-up with the ball, recording figures of 5/33 and 1/34 across the two innings.
His consistent performances also helped him achieve a major career milestone, as he climbed to the top of both the ICC Men's Test Bowling and All-rounder Rankings.
Jansen became the first South African bowler to occupy the No. 1 position in the Test bowling rankings since Kagiso Rabada achieved the feat in 2024. He also became the first South African cricketer to top the Test all-rounder rankings since Vernon Philander in August 2014.
The 26-year-old finished ahead of Pakistan's Arafat Minhas and West Indies captain Shai Hope, who were also nominated for the men's award.
Speaking after receiving the honour, Jansen described the recognition as particularly special following a memorable series against Australia. He also acknowledged the contribution of his teammates and support staff, emphasising that individual awards are a reflection of collective effort.
Deepti Sharma, meanwhile, continued her impressive run in international cricket by securing her second ICC Women's Player of the Month award.
The Indian all-rounder was instrumental in her team's dominant white-ball campaign against Zimbabwe, delivering impactful performances in both the ODI and T20I formats.
During the three-match ICC Women's Championship ODI series, Deepti scored an unbeaten 106 in her only opportunity with the bat. She also showcased her effectiveness with the ball, claiming five wickets while maintaining an impressive economy rate of 3.42.
India completed a convincing 3-0 series sweep, with Deepti playing a key role in the team's success.
Her contributions continued in the T20I series, where she smashed 49 runs off just 37 deliveries in her only batting opportunity. She also added two wickets with her off-spin bowling to complete an impressive all-round performance across formats.
This is Deepti's second ICC Women's Player of the Month honour, having previously won the award in December 2023.
She was selected ahead of Bangladesh's Sobhana Mostary and Australia's Annabel Sutherland, who were the other shortlisted candidates for the women's award.
Expressing her happiness after receiving the recognition, Deepti highlighted India's overall performance against Zimbabwe and praised the contributions of the younger players in the squad.
She also described her century as a special achievement, particularly because it came in a winning cause, while thanking her teammates, coaches, fans and the voting panel for their support.
How were the ICC awards decided?
The ICC Player of the Month winners were determined through a combined voting process involving registered cricket fans from around the world and a specialist panel comprising former international cricketers and media representatives.
With Jansen earning his first monthly ICC honour and Deepti adding a second to her name, October proved to be a memorable month for two of international cricket's finest all-rounders.
