R Ashwin wins ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year 2016
Mumbai: R Ashwin has capped off a brilliant year in Test cricket as he won the ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year 2016.
The Indian off-spinner, who is the number one all-rounder and bowler in Test cricket, became the third Indian cricketer after Rahul Dravid (2004) and Sachin Tendulkar (2010) to win the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year.
Ashwin joined the likes of Andrew Flintoff and Jacques Kallis (joint-winners in 2005), Ricky Ponting (2006 and 2007), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (2008), Mitchell Johnson (2009 and 2014), Jonathan Trott (2011), Kumar Sangakkara (2012), Michael Clarke (2013) and Steve Smith (2015) as he was declared the winner of the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Cricketer of the Year 2016.
Ashwin also became only the second Indian after Rahul Dravid to win the ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in the same year.
Jacques Kallis (2005), Ricky Ponting (2006), Kumar Sangakkara (2012), Michael Clarke (2013), Mitchell Johnson (2014) and Steve Smith (2015) are the other players to have won both the awards in the same year.
Game’s governing body took into consideration the period from 14 September 2015 to 20 September 2016 before rewarding the Chennai-based cricketer two of the cricket’s top honours.
Ashwin had picked up 48 wickets and scored 336 runs in the eight Tests he played during that period. In addition to that, the wily tweaker also claimed 27 wickets in 19 T20Is.
Reacting to the news, Ashwin said: “It’s an absolute pleasure to be awarded with this great honour. It feels great to follow the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid in being named as the ICC Cricketer of the Year. To also win the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year makes it even better.”
“There are a lot of people to thank for this wonderful achievement I have made. It has been a great couple of years but this year has been even more special. What is very noticeable is the way I have bowled and batted and the way I have gone about doing my business. What is more important, as far as I am concerned, is the number of people who have gone behind my success,” added Ashwin.
“I’d like to dedicate this award to my family. I’d like to thank ICC and most importantly my team-mates. I’d also like to thank the support staff for our success. We’ve had a great transition ever since Mahendra Singh Dhoni hung up his boots. A young captain has taken over, we fell on the right track, and we now have a new bunch of boys,” concluded Ashwin.
David Richardson, ICC Chief Executive, congratulated Ashwin, saying: “It has been a memorable period for Ashwin, whose consistent all-round and match winning performances have been reflected in the MRF player rankings. He is justifiably now being counted among the best spinners of his generation.”
“To win both the ICC Cricketer of the Year and ICC Test Cricketer of the Year awards is a major accomplishment. Ashwin’s performances speak for themselves and he is a deserving recipient of the honours. I congratulate him on behalf of the ICC,” concluded Richardson.
