New Delhi, Sept. 6: Captain Rahul Dravid has been nominated in four categories, including Cricketer of the Year, for the annual ICC awards.
Dravid is the only Indian among the 13 who are in the running for the Sir Garfield Sobers Award for the Cricketer of the Year, ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed announced at a function here on Wednesday.
Besides, the Indian skipper is also in the running for Test Player of the Year, ODI Player of the Year, and Captain of the Year awards.
The last category is a new award constituted this year along with another, Women’s Cricketer of the Year.
Anjum Chopra and Neetu David are the two Indian nominations for the Women’s Cricketer of the Year award.
Other Indians who will be gunning for glory are Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan in the ODI Player category which has received 17 entries in all.
Dravid is also the only Indian who will be vying for the Test Player award and will have to contend with his Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting, England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, among others, for the Sobers trophy.
Batting sensation Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to find an entry while left-arm spinner Monty Panesar, England’s first Sikh player, was a surprise nomination for the Cricketer of the Year award.
The awards will be announced during the ICC Champions Trophy on October 23 in Mumbai.
Mean while, the ICC did not rule out forensic test of the ball, which was alleged to have been tampered by Pakistan during the Oval Test against England, to ensure a fair hearing for skipper Inzamam-ul Haq.
ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said forensic test had been suggested and it could be part of the evidence that would be examined when the hearing takes place later this month. "Forensic test is being suggested. The laws of cricket are clear on what constitutes changing the condition of the ball. Lawyers of Pakistan and ICC are studying what evidence can be put forth," Speed said on the sidelines of a press conference to announce the nominations for this year’s Hyundai ICC Awards.