Shubman Gill accidentally given PoTS award, real winner was this India star! Shocking details leaked

Former India National Cricket Team wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has made a shocking revelation about Test captain Shubman Gill getting the Player of the Series award in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025.

Dinesh Karthik said that the Test skipper, Shubman Gill, was not the actual choice of the England head coach, Brendon McCullum, and he wanted the award to be given to another India star.

Not Shubman Gill! Brendon McCullum wanted Mohammed Siraj as PoTS

Shubman Gill won the Player of the Series award for India in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, and Harry Brook won the same award for England. Head coaches Gautam Gambhir and Brendon McCullum were given the job to select the Player of the Match for the opposition team.

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Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik has revealed that McCullum had initially picked Gill to win the award and informed the decision to Michael Atherton, who was doing the post-match presentation.

Karthik added that the England head coach changed the decision at the last minute and wanted Mohammed Siraj to win the Player of the Series award after seeing his heroics on the final day at The Oval. But in the end, there was not enough time left to change questions and everything else; hence, they went ahead with Shubman Gill.

“If the match had gotten over yesterday (Day 4), Shubman Gill was the man of the series. Brendon McCullum had said Shubman Gill. And obviously, Atherton [Mike Atherton] was the one doing the presentation. So, he had all the questions ready. Everything was for Shubman Gill," he said on Cricbuzz.

“Baz McCullum turned it around in a matter of half an hour, 40 minutes — to Mohammed Siraj. He even spoke about him in the post-match with Sky Sports — about how he enjoyed watching Siraj bowl and all the eloquent things he had to say about him.”

When Bumrah didn’t play, Siraj stepped up - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik further showered rich praise on Mohammed Siraj for taking the additional responsibility and helping India win in the absence of Jasprit Bumrah. He said:

“This is a five-Test match series where bat has dominated the ball. It’s been hard work. And this boy has come in running every day of the series, when given the ball, with his heart out... When Bumrah didn’t play, Siraj stepped up and showed what it takes to win.”

Notably, Shubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj finished as the leading run-getter and wicket-taker in the five-match Test series between India and England. Gill scored 754 runs at an average of 75.40 and Siraj bagged 23 wickets at an average of 32.43.

But the fact is that when he wasn't around, Mohammed Siraj stepped up - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik also said that Mohammed Siraj became leader of the pack in Bumrah's absence and showed everyone that he is more than ready to help his team registered big victories.

“At the start of the series, I actually said, in Australia, he bowled better with the old ball than with the new ball. But Mohammed Siraj has come out here to England. And when he has been the head of the pack, which means everybody was speaking about how Jasprit Bumrah is important.

"When Jasprit Bumrah plays, India should win. Otherwise, they are going to find it hard. And eventually, they ended up winning 2 Test matches. Both of which he didn't play. And it's obviously no reflection on Bumrah. Because he is such a genius that you rely so much on a Jasprit Bumrah for them to do the goods. But the fact is that when he wasn't around, Mohamed Siraj stepped up. Showed what it takes to win. You know, I think he can now rise beyond,” Karthik added.

Also Read: Watch: Gautam Gambhir turns Virat Kohli in wild celebrations after India's Oval Test win