Virat Kohli wins Ceat Cricketer of the Year award

India's top batsman Virat Kohli on Monday won the Ceat International Cricketer of the Year award while off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, the fastest player from the country to pick 100 Test wickets, bagged the Indian Player of the Year award for 2013-14.

Left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan was named the International Player of the Year while Robin Uthappa, who was part of the triumphant Karnataka Ranji Trophy team, clinched the Domestic Cricketer of the Year honour at a function held in Mumbai on Monday night.

Kohli had won the best player award in 2011-12 too. India's under-19 cricketer Vijay Zol got the Young Player of the Year award while yesteryear stumper Syed Kirmani, one of the finest behind the stumps who was also part of the 1983 World Cup winning team, was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Kirmani played in 88 Tests and 49 ODIs.

Australian Mitchell Johnson, who was instrumental in his country winning the Ashes Series in overwhelming fashion against England at home, and compatriot Glenn Maxwell received the Test Player of the Year and Popular Choice awards respectively, while Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan got the T20 Player of the award.

"It's good to see an Indian (Kohli) win the main award again and that he has won it for the second time at such a young age should inspire other youngsters also to win the coveted award," said former India skipper and chief adjudicator of Ceat Cricket Rating, Sunil Gavaskar.

"It's also wonderful to see Syed Kirmani being recognised for his tremendous service to Indian cricket. He is, without doubt, one of India's all-time greats," said Gavaskar in a tribute to his former teammate.
He also noted that the awards had reached its 19th year of existence after being given away for the first time in 1995.