Viru All Set To Be Declared As Castrol Indian Cricketer Of The Year 2008!

Viru All Set To Be Declared As Castrol Indian Cricketer Of The Year 2008!Opening Indian batsman, Virender Sehwag is all set to be declared Castrol Indian Cricketer of the year 2008 with 59 points.

The others in the race include: left hand batsman Gautam Gambhir, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and fast bowler Ishant Sharma.

Sehwag had an unparalleled year in Test Cricket with a triple ton against South Africa and a double ton against Sri Lanka, along with some roaring starts at the top of the order in the ODI’s.  

Apart from carrying on with his outstanding form against the Aussies in the Test series, the right hand opening batsman also came well in the ODI’s against England with a blazing 85 in the first game at Rajkot, pushing India to a huge total of 387 for 5 in their fixed 50 overs. He chased that up with knocks of 68 in Kanpur, 69 in Bangalore, and missed out on a sparkling century with 91 in the fifth game at Cuttack.

Sehwag special year ended in a fitting finale during the first India England Test in Chennai, with a well-made 83 on the fourth evening, which inclined the scales in India's favour.

Gautam Gambhir comes in a close second with 52 points, after contesting his opening partner's good run with scores of 51,70 and 40 in the ODI’s against England, along with a determined ton in second test against England in Mohali.

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is at the third position with 48 points.

Young fast bowlers walked away with the fourth and fifth positions with pivotal spells against the visiting English team.

During the ODI’s and Tests against England, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh picked up crucial wickets at regular intervals. The bowler from Punjab captured 41 points.

Country’s new bowling sensation; Ishant Sharma holds fifth position with 37 points.

The annual awards for cricketing excellence were instituted in 1997-98. For the first time, none from among Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid or Sourav Ganguly are in the running for the award.