ICC Awards: Virat Kohli wins Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for Cricketer of the Year

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New Delhi, Jan 18: India captain Virat Kohli has been named as the winner of the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy at the 2017 ICC Awards for his exceptional performances across all formats, succeeding his teammate Ravichandran Ashwin.

Apart from being awarded the ICC cricketer of the year for the year 2017, Kohli has also been named the ODI cricketer of the year for his phenomenal performance in the 50-overs format.

According to the ICC release,"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 was Kohli's second gong at the 2017 ICC Awards, with the 29-year-old also being named the ODI Player of the Year.

"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.

"Last time it was Ash [Ravichandran Ashwin] and this time I'm getting it, so I'm really really honoured and I'd like to thank the ICC for recognising all the hard work that we all put in for our respective sides and I want to congratulate all the other winners also."

VIRAT KOHLI - ODI Cricketer of the year

Kohli has also been named the ICC ODI Cricketer for the same period as well. The 29-year-old scored six tons in the format last year, averaging an astonishing 76.84 - his ODI career average now stands at 55.74, the highest ever by a batsman from a Full Member nation - with a strike rate hovering around a run a ball.

It is not only the volume of runs that Kohli scores but the manner in which he scores them, and the situations in which he scores them, that marks him out as a special player. The thrill of the chase seems to bring out the best in India's captain. He averages 65.29 when his team are batting second and 93.64 when his team successfully chases down a target. In short, when India chase down a total, Kohli has more than likely had a major part to play in it.

STEVE SMITH - Test Cricketer of the Year

Australia captain Steve Smith has been named the ICC Test Cricketer of the year. The Australian was by far the most successful Test cricketer in last year.

No Australian has made as many runs in a calendar year as Smith in 2017 (1,305) with a lower false shot percentage (7.2) since records began. He averaged 111.20 against pace bowling (the highest of anyone dismissed more than once) and 54.50 facing spinners, with 54.9 per cent of his runs scored on the leg-side, against an average for top six batsmen of 50.7 per cent.

Smith beat off competition for the Test Cricketer of the Year from last year's winner Ravichandran Ashwin, who took 111 wickets at 25.87, Cheteshwar Pujara, who scored 1,914 runs at 63.80, Kohli who led India to the top of the ICC Test team rankings as well as scoring 2,023 runs at 77.80, and Ben Stokes, who hit 1,000 runs at 40.00 and took 35 wickets at 27.68.

Smith commented: "It's a great honour to win the Test Player of the Year award. It's called Test cricket for a reason and I'm very humbled to win that award. I've had a really good year - I think I've scored six hundred in the year and more importantly led the team to an Ashes victory, which is something that is really important to me. I am incredibly humbled and I love playing Test cricket - it's the game that challenges your skills and your mind the most."

Here's the Full list of ICC Awards (Men):

Cricketer of the year: Virat Kohli (India)

Test Cricketer of the year: Steve Smith (Australia)

ODI Cricketer of the Year: Virat Kohli (India)

ICC T20I Performance of the Year: Yuzvendra Chahal (India) for his 6/25 against England in Bengaluru.

ICC Emerging Player of the Year: Hasan Ali (Pakistan)

ICC Associate Player of the Year: Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)