Kohli, Smith win top ICC awards

Australia captain Steve Smith has been crowned the International Cricket Council's Test Player of the Year for a second time, while Indian captain Virat Kohli has been honoured twice in the ICC's annual awards.

Smith scored more runs and posted more centuries than any Test player in 2017 and his average for the year (76.76) was the highest of any batsman to score more than 500 runs.

It's the fourth time in five years that an Australian has won the award; Michael Clarke (2013), Mitchell Johnson (2014) and Smith (2015) were also crowned the world's best in Tests, while Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin won the award in 2016.

Kohli was the major winner of the ICC awards, the Indian skipper winning the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy as Cricketer of the Year while he was also named the ODI Player of the Year.

Pakistan quick Hasan Ali was named the Emerging Cricketer of the Year after he helped Pakistan win the ICC Champions Trophy in June, while Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan was named Associate Cricketer of the Year.

Smith posted six centuries in just 11 Tests in 2017; three on Australia's tour of India and three in the recently-completed Magellan Ashes series.

In an exclusive column for cricket.com.au late last year, Smith said two of his hundreds last year - against India in Pune and England in Brisbane - were among the three best of his career.

"It’s a great honour to receive this award for the second time, having won it in 2015 as well,” Smith said in a statement. "It’s called Test cricket for a reason, and I’ve enjoyed that test of my ability over the past 12 months.

"I got six Test hundreds for the year in 2017, which I was pleased about. I was pleased with the way I played but what pleased me most of all was that I helped us win Tests and, most importantly, The Ashes. To make a contribution in big matches and in big series and assist the team is what it is all about for me, and if I’m doing that then there’s a good chance that awards like this will follow."

It's the first time since 2011 that the winner of the Test Player of the Year Award was not also crowned the Cricketer of the Year; Kohli was the fourth-highest run-scorer's in Tests in 2017 and coupled with his superb year in ODI cricket, where he scored 1460 runs at an average of 76, earned him the top gong.

Cricket.com.au contributor Mazher Arshad was among a panel of journalists and former players who helped to pick the award winners.

ICC AWARD WINNERS FOR 2017

Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year - Virat Kohli (India)

ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year - Steve Smith (Australia)

ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year - Virat Kohli (India)

ICC Men’s Emerging Cricketer of the Year - Hasan Ali (Pakistan)

ICC Men’s Associate Cricketer of the Year - Rashid Khan (Afghanistan)

ICC Men’s T20I Performance of the Year - Yuzvendra Chahal (6-25 v England) (India)

David Shepherd Trophy for ICC Umpire of the Year – Marais Erasmus

ICC Spirit of Cricket - Anya Shrubsole (England)

ICC Fans Moment of the Year - Pakistan stun India to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2017