BCCI awards Team India

Mumbai, Dec 6 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday announced awards for the Indian cricket team for making it to the top of the International Cricket Council (ICC) test rankings.

The BCCI announced awards of Rs 25 lakh each for the players and Rs 10 lakh each for the support staff and members of the selection panel.

India has achieved the coveted number-one position in the Championship for the first time after winning its three-Test series against Sri Lanka 2-0 on Sunday.

India had started the series in third place on 119 ratings points trailing top ranked South Africa by three ratings points. But victories by an innings and 144 runs in Kanpur and by an innings and 24 runs in Mumbai have earned Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side the much-needed five ratings points which have given it the number-one position.

The 2-0 series win also means India will finish 2009 as the number-one ranked side after starting the year in third place behind Australia and South Africa. Although Australia's ongoing series against the West Indies will conclude before the year ends, even a 3-0 clean sweep will not be enough for Ricky Ponting's side to challenge India's top spot.

South Africa, who had gone top of the Test rankings in August after Australia lost the Ashes to England, will have an opportunity to regain its position when it goes head to head with England later this month in a four-Test series. A series win by 2-0 or better will give Graeme Smith's side back its number-one spot but anything less will result in an increase to India's lead.