On 18th February 2009, the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) will honor some players related to Indian cricket by giving them awards as recognition of their performance in the 2007-08 season. The top annual honor of the BCCI is the Polly Umrigar Award and this year, the recipient of this award is Virender Sehwag. Special awards would be given to Harbhajan Singh as he has taken 300 Test wickets and has received the Padma Shri as well as Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, as he won the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri. Gundappa Vishwanath, the former India captain, would be honored with the CK Nayudu lifetime achievement award worth 1.5 million Indian Rupees. (approx. 30,180 USD)
Sehwag’s performance
During the 2007-08 Australia tour, Sehwag made a successful comeback in the Indian squad. His form has been tremendous since then and in 2008, he has participated in 14 Test matches and piled up 1462 runs at a strike rate of 85.84 and an average of 56.23. He also exhibited a scintillating triple hundred against South Africa in Chennai. In September 2007, when India was triumphant in the World Twenty20 championship, Sehwag contributed to the success. In acknowledgement of these services, he is chosen for the award. The prize money for this award is 0.5 million Indian Rupees. (approx. 10,294 USD)
Domestic cricket
The Madhavrao Scindia Award for the best batsman and best bowler in the domestic cricket season in India would be given to Cheteshwar Pujara and Sudeep Tyagi. Pujara accrued 807 runs at an average of 73.36 in the Ranji Trophy Super League. A rich haul of 41 wickets was taken by Tyagi. This duo would receive 0.1 million Indian Rupees each. (approx. 2,058 USD)