Jana Bankable Player Award – A chance for fans to reward the most consistent players

Cricket might be a team sport, but at times, it’s a piece of individual brilliance that changes the complexion of a match. A quick-fire hundred, an inspiring spell of fast bowling, or even a brilliant catch - such performances make a player stand out from the rest, making him truly ‘bankable’ for his side.

Janalakshami Financial Services (Jana) - which has been signed by the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) as the associate sponsor for Indian Cricket - will now involve one of the game’s most crucial stakeholders , to vote for the ‘bankable’ player during India’s upcoming home season.

In a unique bid to engage cricket fans in the country, Jana is offering this unique opportunity for the viewers to make their voices heard.

Besides the audience votes, the commentators’ analysis will also be a criterion to decide the ‘bankable player’ award which will be handed to the cricketer during the post-match presentation. The cricketer, i.e. the ‘bankable player’, will be getting a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.

And it’s not just the players who win; the fans who vote also stand a chance to win match tickets.

The Jana Bankable Player Award is different from a Man of the Match or a Man of the Series Award, since it recognises the player that delivered for his side, when it mattered the most.

Fans can vote through Twitter using the hashtag #Janabankable. They can also visit the Janabankableplayer.com, where they would select one player from either side, who they believe has been the most dependable player during the course of the match. This initiative will come into effect with the India - New Zealand series.

India will also host England, and Australia over the course of the next one year, where they will be playing 13 Tests, 8 ODIs and 3 T20s across venues. Team India has been rather fragile against spin at home in the last few years. With the prospect of playing on turning tracks, the home season would be a litmus test for coach Anil Kumble to prove his mettle as India’s coach.

The young side led by the dynamic skipper Virat Kohli, would be hoping for some strong performances, that would further their case of being the number one cricket team across all formats.

On a hard fought day one, India ended at 291 for 9, with Cheteshwar Pujara and Murali Vijay, scoring a half-century each, before eventually folding up on day two for 318. Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner were the pick of the bowlers, with 3 scalps each.

With the pitch gripping and turning from day one itself, it will be interesting to see whether Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will be able to break the partnership between Kane Williamson and Tom Latham in the coming sessions, as the two New Zealand batsmen look on top of things with their steady batting.

With the Test match delicately poised, fans can go to Janabankableplayer.com and vote for who they think will be the player who will be consistent throughout the match and deliver when the going gets tough.