ICC presents Test Championship mace to Kohli

The International Cricket Council presented the ICC Test Championship Mace to India captain Virat Kohli at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town after the end of the third and final T20 International against South Africa on Saturday.

Published : Feb 25, 2018 08:21 IST , Cape Town

Virat Kohli being presented with the ICC Test Mace by Graeme Pollock (right) and Sunil Gavaskar. Photo: Cricket South Africa
Virat Kohli being presented with the ICC Test Mace by Graeme Pollock (right) and Sunil Gavaskar. Photo: Cricket South Africa
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Virat Kohli being presented with the ICC Test Mace by Graeme Pollock (right) and Sunil Gavaskar. Photo: Cricket South Africa

The International Cricket Council (ICC) presented the ICC Test Championship Mace to India captain Virat Kohli at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town after the end of the third and final T20 International against South Africa on Saturday.

On behalf of the ICC, two members of the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame - Sunil Gavaskar and Graeme Pollock of South Africa - made the presentation after the awards ceremony for the T20I series. India has ensured the No. 1 spot on the ICC Test Team Rankings and a prize of USD 1 million after its victory in the third and final Test at Johannesburg against South Africa last month.

Kohli was elated at the accomplishment.

He said, “It’s truly a great feeling to hold the ICC Test Championship mace again, which is an acknowledgement of our success in the truest format of the game. We’re proud of the way we have performed in Test matches over the past couple of years and our performances have reflected in the rankings. The quality of a side is judged in the way players step up when needed, and that is what our boys have done time and again. It is heartening to be at the top of the Test rankings in an era when it’s challenging to do consistently well across formats. But that is something that we have managed fairly well and something that I’d like my team to continue doing with their hard work and determination.”

ICC chief executive Dave Richardson offered his congratulations to the Indian team.

He said, “India has been simply outstanding in Test cricket over the last twelve months and I’d like to congratulate Virat and his team for retaining the Mace. They have produced some memorable moments that will go down in Test match history. They are certainly deserving of their number one ranking doing so much to attract fans around the world to Test cricket with their entertaining and attacking style of play and great quality of cricket.”

India won the prize for a second year running and has now been at the top of the rankings since October, 2016.

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