BCCI to honour Roger Binny, Rahul Dravid and Mithali Raj with Lifetime Achievement Awards at Naman Awards 2026

MARCH 14, 2026–

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will celebrate excellence across the Indian cricketing spectrum at the prestigious Naman Awards 2026, scheduled to be held on Sunday, 15 March 2026, in New Delhi. The annual ceremony recognises exceptional performances and enduring contributions across international, domestic and age group cricket while honouring individuals whose work has shaped the growth and stature of the game in the country.

At this year’s ceremony, Mr Roger Binny and Mr Rahul Dravid will be bestowed with the Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award, the BCCI’s highest honour recognising outstanding service to Indian cricket.

Ms Mithali Raj will receive the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women, recognising her extraordinary contribution to the growth and global stature of women’s cricket in India.

A distinguished member of India’s historic 1983 World Cup winning team, Mr Binny’s contribution to the game has spanned decades as a player, mentor and administrator. Renowned for his skilful seam bowling and invaluable ability to deliver breakthroughs at crucial moments, Mr Binny finished as the highest wicket taker of the 1983 World Cup, playing a pivotal role in one of the most defining chapters in Indian cricket’s history. A member of the Indian squad that lifted the iconic World Championship of Cricket in 1985, Mr Binny is also the first Indian cricketer to open both the bowling and the batting in the same ODI.

Following his playing career, Mr Binny continued to serve Indian cricket with equal distinction. As coach of the Indian Under 19 team, he guided the side to victory in the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2000, nurturing young cricketers at the start of their professional journeys. He later served as a national selector from 2012 to 2016 and played an important role in shaping the composition of the Indian team during a significant phase in the game’s evolution.

In recent years, Mr Binny has continued his long association with Indian cricket in an administrative capacity. He served as the 36th President of the BCCI from 2022 to 2025 and guided the organisation during a period of significant growth and global prominence for Indian cricket. Under his stewardship, the BCCI further strengthened its commitment to excellence across the cricketing ecosystem. His leadership reflects a lifelong dedication to the sport. The Col. C. K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award is a fitting tribute to a career defined by service, integrity and enduring contribution to Indian cricket.

Mr Dravid will be honoured for his immense contribution to Indian cricket, both as one of the finest batters the game has witnessed and as a coach and guiding force who shaped a new era of Indian cricket. Mr Dravid’s illustrious international career was built on a batting technique straight out of the manual, steely resilience, rock solid defence and overall mastery. He accumulated over 24,000 international runs, anchored India’s batting line up across formats for more than a decade and played a central role in many of the team’s most memorable victories as a batter and captain.

Following his playing career, Mr Dravid seamlessly transitioned into a role that helped shape the future of Indian cricket. As Head of Cricket at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), he played a pivotal role in strengthening India’s player development pathways, mentoring young cricketers and helping build a robust pipeline of talent for the national teams. His influence was most visible when he guided India’s Under 19 team to victory at the ICC Under 19 Cricket World Cup in 2018.

His impact continued to grow when he took over as Head Coach of the Indian men’s team. He brought with him the same clarity of purpose and emphasis on discipline that defined his playing career. Under his guidance, Team India lifted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2024. The triumph reflected the team’s resilience, preparation and dominance on the global stage. Through his leadership across India’s cricketing ecosystem, Mr Dravid has played a defining role in shaping the present and future of Indian cricket.

One of the greatest icons of women’s cricket, Ms Mithali Raj will receive the BCCI Lifetime Achievement Award for Women in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to the growth and global prominence of the women’s game. Over the course of a remarkable international career spanning more than two decades, Ms Raj redefined standards of excellence with her elegance, consistency and leadership. As the highest run scorer in women’s ODIs with 7805 runs at an average of 50.68, she set benchmarks that transformed the perception of women’s cricket in India and inspired countless young girls to take up the sport.

Equally significant was her inspirational captaincy, under which India reached two ICC Women’s World Cup finals and emerged as a formidable force in international cricket. Through her remarkable achievements and lasting influence, Ms Raj has played a defining role in elevating Indian women’s cricket to unprecedented heights.

The Naman Awards will also recognise outstanding performances across international, domestic and age group cricket during the 2024–25 season.

India’s Test and ODI captain Mr Shubman Gill will receive the Polly Umrigar Award for Best International Cricketer (Men) for the 2024–25 season for the second time. Ms Smriti Mandhana will receive the Best International Cricketer (Women) award for the fifth time in her career.

Among domestic performers, Ms Ira Jadhav of Mumbai will receive the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer (Domestic) following a prolific season with the bat. Ms Shafali Verma of Haryana will be honoured with the Jagmohan Dalmiya Trophy for Best Woman Cricketer (Senior Domestic One Day) for the 2024–25 season.

Mr Ayush Mhatre of Mumbai will receive the Lala Amarnath Award for the Best All Rounder in Domestic Limited Overs Competitions for the 2024–25 season, while Vidarbha’s Harsh Dubey will receive the Lala Amarnath Award for the Best All Rounder in the Ranji Trophy for the 2024–25 season.

The Mumbai Cricket Association will once again receive the award for Best Performance in BCCI Domestic Tournaments, having won four trophies and finished runner up in two during the season.

A defining highlight of the Naman Awards 2026 will be the felicitation of all five ICC trophy winning Indian teams. This will be a historic first for Indian cricket. The BCCI will honour the senior men’s team that won the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the senior women’s team that won the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025, the men’s Under 19 team that won the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2026, and the women’s Under 19 team that won the ICC Under 19 World Cup 2025. This special recognition celebrates an extraordinary period of success for Indian cricket on the global stage.

The Naman Awards continue to celebrate Indian cricket’s rich legacy while recognising the performances and contributions that shape its future.

For the complete list of awards and winners, CLICK HERE.