30 November 2009, Mumbai, India

“Cricket is the same, but the wickets are changing,” stressed Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh during the debate on “the death of test cricket” at an award function held in Mumbai on Sunday.

The quality of wickets became a hot-button issue especially after the ennui-filled Ahmadabad test against sri-lanka. While Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakara reaffirmed that the quality of the test cricket is still intact despite the increasing popularity of ODIs and T 20, Aussie tweaker brad Hogg stressed the immediate “needs to educate the grounds-men”. Harbhajan who was felicitated for scalping 300 test wickets, said cricket is constantly evolving, and to match its growing needs, the quality of wickets should improve simultaneously as well. The Indian off-spinner hailed Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttaih Murlidharan as his inspiration and said, “It is amazing what murli can do with the ball, he is the true hero.”

The south-paw Gautham Ghambhir received the international test batsman of the year award.  It could not be the best moment for gambhir to regain his number one ICC test batsman. Gambhir opening partner, virendar shewag, picked up ODI batsman of the year award.  Sri-Lankan carom ball spinner Ajanta mendis bagged the ODI bowler of the year award.  Aussie speedster Mitchell Johnson was conferred with test bowler of the year award.  And finally, Australia picked team of the year for the eight time.