By IANS,
Mumbai: Two-time triple centurion Virender Sehwag leads the race for the 2008 Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year.
Sehwag, who scored a superb 319 in the first Test against South Africa in Chennai last month, has 57 points, said statement from Castrol, the award sponsors. In 2004, he had become the first – and so far the only — Indian to score a triple century when he hit a historic 309 against Pakistan in Multan.
Besides Sehwag, only legendary Australian Don Bradman and West Indies great Brian Lara have scored two triple centuries in Test cricket.
At second place in the race is India’s latest pace bowling sensation Ishant Sharma. The Delhi bowler, who made a successful return to Test cricket in the third Test in Kanpur after missing the first two matches due to an injury, has 49 points.
Pacer Irfan Pathan and wicket-keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who led India to victory in Kanpur, occupy the third and fourth spots with 48 and 46 points respectively.
Sachin Tendulkar jointly occupies the fifth spot with Harbhajan Singh, who won the Man of the Series award in the just concluded series against South African. Both have 45 points.
The date and venue of the award function will be announced later.
The annual Castrol Awards, instituted in 1997-98, take into account performances by Indian cricketers in Tests and One-Day Internationals over a 12-month period.