R Ashwin to get Polly Umrigar Award
R Ashwin, the India offspinner, is the winner of the Polly Umrigar Award for 2012-13, the BCCI has announced. The board also named former India captain Kapil Dev the winner of the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award
ESPNcricinfo staff
26-Dec-2013
Ashwin, who this season became the fastest player in more than 80 years to 100 Test wickets, was very effective in India's home matches this year. During the qualification period, between October 2012 and September 2013, he picked up 43 wickets at 30.69 in eight Tests overall, including four five-fors and one ten-for, as well as 10 wickets from eight ODIs. In addition, he scored 263 Test runs at 32.87 with two fifties. However, an ordinary first Test against South Africa in Johannesburg - he is yet to make an impression overseas - meant he was dropped for the Durban game on the same day he was announced as the award-winner by the BCCI.
Dev, the best allrounder India has produced and the captain of its 1983 World Cup-winning team, will receive Rs 25 lakh as part of the award. Ashwin will receive Rs 5 lakh.
Abhishek Nayar, the experienced Mumbai allrounder, was named the best allrounder in the 2012-13 Ranji Trophy - he finished second on the batting charts with 966 runs at an average of 96.60 and claimed 19 wickets with his medium pace at 22.89. Punjab's Jiwanjot Singh - 995 runs - and Madhya Pradesh's Ishwar Pandey - 48 wickets - won the awards for topping the batting and bowling lists. Each of these players will receive Rs 2.5 lakh each.
Attacking opening batsman Thirush Kamini was named Women Cricket of the Year. She will receive Rs 50,000.