For a tremendous year where he played an astonishing brand of cricket, Indian skipper Virat Kohli was named as the ICC ODI Cricketer of the year. He also won his maiden Sir Garfield Sobers Cricketer of the year for his superb showing across formats.
Kohli started the year with a 122 against England in Pune before travelling to England for the Champions Trophy where he was dismissed just twice in five innings scoring three unbeaten fifties.
An unbeaten century against the Windies was followed by two consecutive ones in Sri Lanka before he finished the year off with a couple against New Zealand as well.
ALSO READ: Cool down Virat, all will be well
Kohli was equally explosive in the longest format of the game, where he broke Don Bradman’s record by scoring four consecutive double centuries in as many series. However Steve Smith’s superb show in the Ashes and other Test series meant that the Australian skipper won the Test Cricketer of the year award.
In the qualification period from 21 September 2016 to the end of 2017, India’s captain scored 2,203 Test runs at an average of 77.80 including eight centuries, 1,818 ODI runs at 82.63 including seven centuries, and 299 T20I runs at a strike rate of 153. He also captained his country with distinction, with India flying high at the top of the ICC Test rankings.
“It means a lot to win to win the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for becoming the ICC Cricketer of the Year 2017 and also the ICC ODI Player of the Year,” he said. “I won that back in 2012 also but it’s the first time winning the Garfield Sobers Trophy, and it’s a huge honour for me. It’s probably the biggest of all in world cricket and two Indians getting it back-to-back makes it more special.
It was Ravichandran Ashwin who had won the coveted Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy last year.
Other than the awards, Kohli was also picked in the Test and ODI team of the year. While Ashwin and Pujara accompanied him in Tests, he was joined by Rohit and Bumrah in the ODIs.
ICC Men’s Test Team of the Year 2017 (in batting order):
- Dean Elgar (South Africa)
- David Warner (Australia)
- Virat Kohli (captain) (India)
- Steve Smith (Australia)
- Cheteshwar Pujara (India)
- Ben Stokes (England)
- Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper) (South Africa)
- Ravichandran Ashwin (India)
- Mitchell Starc (Australia)
- Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)
- James Anderson (England)
ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year 2017 (in batting order):
- David Warner (Australia)
- Rohit Sharma (India)
- Virat Kohli (captain) (India)
- Babar Azam (Pakistan)
- AB de Villiers (South Africa)
- Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper) (South Africa)
- Ben Stokes (England)
- Trent Boult (New Zealand)
- Hasan Ali (Pakistan)
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)
- Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Other Awards
Yuzvendra Chahal got the award for T20I performance of the year for his spell of 6/25 against England.
For his excellent performance in the year, Hasan Ali, who was also picked in the team of the year, won emerging player of the year awards.
Sensational bowler Rashid Khan won the Associate Cricketer of the Year.
Pakistan winning the ICC Champions Trophy was voted as the fans’ moment of the year.
Marais Erasmus won the award for best umpire.
Anya Shrubsole of England won the Spirit of Cricket award for her gesture after beating South Africa in the ICC Women’s World Cup.
In case you needed a reminder… 👇 pic.twitter.com/ayt1CDNtxX
— ICC (@ICC) January 18, 2018