UNI
 
Mumbai, Aug 27: Team India captain Rahul Dravid along with Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan and Harbhajan Singh are in the fray for the Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year award for the period from October 1, 2004 to December 31, 2005.

The five cricketers have been short-listed on the basis of an elaborate points rating system which takes into consideration batting, bowling and fielding performances, a release issued by Castrol stated here on Saturday.

The Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year will be chosen by 182 cricketers who have represented the country in at least one Test match or five One Day Internationals, who will cast their votes for their choice and the player with the highest number of votes would then become the Indian cricketer of the year.

The winner would stand to gain a cheque of Rs 5 lakhs along with a trophy.

Other awards, which will also be given away at the function to be held on September 4, 2006 here will be the Castrol Lifetime Achievement Award and Castrol Junior Cricketer of the Year Award.

The two awardees will be selected by a panel of experts and the names of the winners will be announced in Mumbai on August 30, 2006 the release added.

Other categories under which the Castrol Awards will be given are: Best Batting Performance in Tests, Best Bowling Performance in Tests, Best Batting Performance in ODIs, Best Bowling Performance in ODIs, Best Fielder of the Year and Best Newcomer of the Year.