On the eve of India’s 77th Republic Day, the Government of India announced the prestigious Padma Awards for 2026, featuring two of the country’s most iconic cricket captains. Rohit Sharma and Harmanpreet Kaur have both been conferred with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, recognizing their exceptional contributions to the sport and their historic leadership on the global stage.
The announcement marks a landmark moment for Indian cricket, as it celebrates the captains who led their respective teams to monumental World Cup victories over the past two years.
A Golden Era of Leadership for Rohit Sharma
For Rohit Sharma, the Padma Shri serves as a crowning achievement following a period of unprecedented success. Affectionately known as “The Hitman,” Rohit has etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Indian captain to secure two consecutive ICC trophies.
His leadership was instrumental during the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados, where India remained undefeated throughout the tournament to lift their first ICC trophy in over a decade. He followed this up by leading the Men in Blue to a dominant victory in the 2025 Champions Trophy in Dubai. These back-to-back triumphs solidified his legacy as one of India’s greatest tactical minds, particularly after the heartbreak of the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
Harmanpreet Kaur: Redefining Women’s Cricket
Joining Rohit on the list of honourees is the captain of the Indian women’s team, Harmanpreet Kaur. Her recognition comes in the wake of a historic 2025 season where she guided the Women in Blue to their maiden ICC title—winning the ODI World Cup on home soil.
In a tournament that transformed the perception of women’s sports in India, Harmanpreet played a pivotal role, including a match-winning 89 in the semi-final against Australia. Under her stewardship, the team ended a long wait for silverware by defeating South Africa in the final at Navi Mumbai. Harmanpreet becomes one of only five women cricketers to ever receive the Padma Shri, highlighting her role as a trailblazer for future generations.
Indian Cricketers and the Padma Shri (1960–2026)
With their inclusion, Rohit and Harmanpreet become the 40th and 41st cricketers to receive this national honour. They join an elite fraternity that includes the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, and Mithali Raj.
| Recipient | Year of Award | Achievement Highlight |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 1999 | First to 100 international centuries |
| MS Dhoni | 2009 | Led India to T20 & ODI World Cup glory |
| Mithali Raj | 2015 | Highest run-scorer in women’s ODIs |
| Virat Kohli | 2017 | Modern legend with most ODI centuries |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 2025 | India’s greatest modern Test match-winner |
| Rohit Sharma | 2026 | First captain with consecutive ICC titles (2024-25) |
| Harmanpreet Kaur | 2026 | Led India to their first Women’s World Cup title |
The Road to the Ceremony
While the awards were announced on January 25, 2026, the formal investiture ceremony is scheduled to take place at Rashtrapati Bhavan in March or April. During this event, the President of India will officially present the medals and citations to the awardees.
Beyond the world of cricket, the 2026 sports list also honours tennis legend Vijay Amritraj (Padma Bhushan), hockey goalkeeper Savita Punia, and Paralympic high jumper Praveen Kumar (Padma Shri), showcasing a diverse year for Indian sporting excellence.
