Deepti Sharma and Marco Jansen have taken the ICC’s October Player of the Month honours after making their influence felt with both bat and ball. Deepti won the women’s award for the second time, while Jansen claimed his first men’s award. The ICC announced the two winners after their performances against Zimbabwe and Australia respectively.
Deepti turns a difficult start into a successful month
Deepti finished ahead of Bangladesh’s Sobhana Mostary and Australia’s Annabel Sutherland. Her month included 155 runs and seven wickets across formats as India went unbeaten through six internationals against Zimbabwe.
One of her most significant contributions came when India were 19/4 in the opening T20I at Raipur. She answered that situation with 49, helping turn a difficult start into a winning match. She also took two wickets during the T20I series as India completed a clean sweep.
The ODI leg gave her another way to shape the contest. Two wickets in the opener were followed by her second ODI hundred and three wickets in the next match, when India moved into a 2–0 lead. Her award therefore reflects contributions across the two disciplines and formats, rather than a single standout innings alone.
Jansen rewards South Africa’s fightback
Jansen beat Arafat Minhas and Shai Hope for the men’s honour. South Africa had lost the opening Test against Australia before recovering to win the series 2–1, with the all-rounder involved in that turnaround.
At Gqeberha, he made 85 in South Africa’s first innings and collected six wickets in the match. The hosts won by an innings and 31 runs to level the series. In the deciding Test, another half-century and three wickets helped carry the momentum forward.
Those contributions gave South Africa a player who could change their position with either skill. Deepti’s month carried a similar value for India: runs when the batting needed help and wickets to support the attack. The two awards recognise different contests, but both winners earned them by influencing more than one part of a match.
