3 Indian cricketers with the most Man of the Series awards in ODIs

#2 Virat Kohli - 9

Virat Kohli in action for India

There are some cricketers whose consistent success is admired by everyone. And then there are others, who are so successful and consistent that if they fail even once, it takes everyone by surprise.

Virat Kohli belongs to the second category. Seeing Sachin Tendulkar hang his boots in 2013 was painful, but the swift rise of Kohli has alleviated the pain in no time. Both may be poles apart in their attitudes or playing style, perhaps, but the one thing similar between them is consistency.

Rarely has the cricketing world seen such a consistent player like Kohli. Kohli always wanted to be more: a cricketer whom the opposition would be in awe of, a cricketer whose presence would raise the intensity of the contest. He has lived every ball, competed in each moment, and made sure he has had the fitness and strength to do so. He has been widely credited for changing the fitness culture in Indian cricket, introducing endurance tests as a criterion for selection.

Most recently, Kohli won the Man of the Series award for his fine performances against West Indies. Throughout his career, Kohli has picked up a total of nine Man of the Series awards. And, with him being in the peak of career, one can surely expect many more awards from Kohli, given how he has revolutionised the way youngsters perceive fitness in the modern era.

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#1 Sachin Tendulkar - 15

Sachin Tendulkar in action for India at the 2011 World Cup

There are sports champions, then there are sporting legends, and then finally, there is God! Cricket is a religion in India, and Sachin Tendulkar is perceived as the God of cricket.

Very few cricketers, for that matter even sportsmen have captured the imagination of the entire world the way Tendulkar has. He needs no introduction, but his life story sure needs to be cherished. Sachin Tendulkar dominated with the bat in an era that saw some of the fiercest seam bowlers of all time in their prime such as Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and Shaun Pollock.

Also, swing-bowling greats like Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, spin legends such as Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, express pacers such as Brett Lee, Allan Donald and Shoaib Akhtar were at the peak of their powers during the Little Master’s reign.

Tendulkar not only survived the ambush across the turn of the millennium, but played his best cricket during this period. It was all based on a strong foundation and a rock-solid technique.

Such has been the consistency of Tendulkar that even though India did not win major World tournaments, Sachin was adjudged the Man of the Series. As for his last Man of the Series award, it came against South Africa in 2010, where he scored 204 runs in just two games against the Proteas, including the first-ever 200 to be scored by a batsman in the ODI format of the game.