MUMBAI: At a star-studded ceremony held on Monday, CEAT Limited hosted the 2014 edition of the CEAT Cricket Rating International Awards to raise a toast to the gentleman's game. 

Both international and domestic talent was honoured on the basis of CEAT Cricket ratings for the year 2013-14. 

India’s top batsman, Virat Kohli, was awarded Overall International Cricketer of the Year. Incidentally, he had won Cricketer of the Year earlier in 2011-12.

Left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan was conferred CEAT ODI player of the year while the youngest of the lot, Vijay Sol took home CEAT Young Player of the Year Award.

In the T20 format, Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan won CEAT International T20 player of the Year while Australia’s Mitchell Johnson picked up CEAT International Test Player of the Year.

CEAT Indian player of the year went to Ravichandran Ashwin while IPL Season Seven Star and Australia’s own, Glenn Maxwell walked away with Most Popular Choice of the Year Award.

A new category Domestic Cricketer of the Year was introduced to recognise talent in the domestic circuit. This time, Robin Uthappa bagged the title.

RPG group chairman Harsh Goenka said, “This is a reiteration of the close association CEAT has with cricket and our endeavour is to recognise individual brilliances on the international cricket scene.”

However the highpoint of the evening came when the name of cricketing legend and one of India’s greatest wicketkeepers Syed Kirmani was announced for CCR International Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Kirmani got a standing ovation from the crowd as he received the award, teary eyed, to a rousing applause. The man who represented India in 88 tests and 49 ODIs and called it a day after sending cricketers packing a record 234 times was accompanied by his family on the occasion.

Chief adjudicator of the CEAT Cricket Rating and India’s greatest opening batsman Sunil Gavaskar said “CEAT International Cricket rating Awards is one of the most important events in the cricketing calendar as it recognises the achievements of the players from grassroots to the international arena. And it has now reached its 19th year.” 

On Kohli's win a second time this year Gavaskar said, “It is good to see an Indian winning the main award again and that he has won it a second time at such a young age.”

The event featured a comedy act performed by renowned stand-up comedian Saurabh Pant, who through his witty one liners on cricket, brought cheer to the packed audience. The event culminated with a sensational Bollywood performance by Desi Boys star Chitrangada Singh.