BCCI launches its official ratings

The Indian board today launched its official ratings for international and domestic cricket, including women and juniors, but preferred to keep the prize money on offer a secret till close to the planned annual awards function in April 2007 at Mumbai.

The ratings cover all segments and fall under the familiar broad categories like batting, bowling, fielding and all-round performance. Lalit Modi, the BCCI vice-president, said the official ratings have been introduced to reward performances which largely remain unrecognised, especially in domestic cricket.

"But we are keeping details of the awards close to our chest till the last moment and the annual awards ceremony would be held at the end of the season, in April," Modi said.

The categories are as follows: Best Test and ODI batsman, bowler, fielder and allrounder; Best Test and ODI Opening Batsman, Most Consistent / Reliable ODI and Test player; Best Test and ODI Innings of the Year.

The popular categories are: Test and ODI Player of the Year; My Favourite Player; Most Stylish Player and Master Blaster of the Year. Viewers' voting categories would include Player of the Week and My Favourite Player.

The ratings system is based on parameters defined by the BCCI panel that includes cricketers and statisticians. For the first time in such ratings processes the public would be able to participate by casting their votes through various TV channels, Modi said.

The BCCI ratings process is being done in partnership with Percept Holdings, he added.