Indian Test team captain Virat Kohli and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his kind words on Mann ki Baat speech for the Indian cricket team.
The Prime Minister, in his recent Mann ki Baat, had lauded Team India's superb showing against England in Test series and said that the team made everyone proud with the victory.
"Being Indians, it is natural for us to feel elated. In the cricket series against England, India triumphed 4-0. In this, the performance of some of the younger players deserves a special word of praise," he had said on Sunday.
"The young Karun Nair scored a triple century and KL Rahul played a brilliant 199-run innings. Test skipper Virat Kohli batted extremely well and also provided inspiring leadership.
"The Indian team's off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also has been declared as the 'Cricketer of the Year' and the 'Best Test Cricketer' by the ICC for 2016. My heartiest congratulations and many good wishes go to all of them," PM Modi added.
By beating England 4-0, India extended their unbeaten streak to 18 matches and also ended the year as the No.1 Test side. Indian cricket team next play England again in the ODI series starting on January 15.