Kohli named India's Sportsperson of 2016 in India Today poll
Virat Kohli was named India's Sportsperson of the Year 2016 in a recent poll conducted by India Today, after he received the highest votes (44.18%). Olympics silver medallist shuttler PV Sindhu beat Ravichandran Ashwin (13.83%) for the second place with 31.51% of the votes. Deepa Malik, Sakshi Malik and Devendra Jhajharia completed the list of top-six athletes.
Test captain Virat Kohli has emerged as India's Sportsperson of the Year 2016 in a poll conducted by India Today. Kohli, with 44.18% votes, pipped badminton ace PV Sindhu (31.51%) for the top spot while star all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin came third with 13.83% of the votes.Even though Kohli won the poll this year, all the six sportspersons who were a part of this poll were winners in their own rights. Paralympian Deepa Malik, wrestler Sakshi Malik and Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia completed the list of athletes.Let's take a look at what these six sports stars achieved in 2016.VIRAT KOHLI (44.18%)Virat Kohli surely made 2016 a year to remember. Seldom has anyone ever seen a batsman dominate world cricket like he has done. Kohli treated himself to 2,595 runs in 41 international innings this year to go along with 973 runs in the Indian Premier League. (Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin rule on field)On top of that, he lead the Indian Test team to series wins against West Indies, New Zealand and England and he single-handedly powered Royal Challengers Bangalore to the final of the IPL this season.PV SINDHU (31.51%)(Reuters Photo)Sindhu achieved what no other woman from India managed at the Rio Olympics this year. The shuttler from Hyderabad put on the performance of a lifetime and walked away with the silver medal from the Rio Games in August. (Women make India proud at Rio Olympics)She became the first ever Indian woman to reach the women's singles badminton final at the Olympics. Sindhu went down fighting in the summit clash to the eventual gold medallist Carolina Marin of Spain 21-19, 12-21, 15-21 to finish runner-up.RAVICHANDRAN ASHWIN (13.83%)(Reuters Photo)Ashwin broke so many records this year that even he would have a tough time remembering them. For the second year running, Ashwin finished as the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 72 scalps along with 612 runs 12 matches.Ashwin's metamorphosis from a defensive bowler to an attacker happened under Kohli and in this year in particular. The eight five-fors and three 10-wicket hauls in this year's Test matches placed him at the cusp of being quickest bowler to 250 Test wickets. His performances helped him bag the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year award and the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for the Cricketer of the Year in 2016.DEEPA MALIK (4.05%)Paralympian Deepa Malik bagged the Silver medal  in the Women's Shot Put F53 event at the 2016 Rio Paralympics Games, clinching the medal with a personal best throw of 4.61 meters. Deepa also became the first Indian female medallist in the history of the Paralympic Games. (Deepa Malik elated after winning Silver at Rio Paralympics)Seven broken vertebrae and frequent MRI scans in the absence of titanium plates could not stop her from taking to throwing the javelin in 2006. Then it became the shot put, the event that has given her Paralympic glory in Rio.Having won sporting laurels at the international stage for close to a decade, the only medal missing from her repertoire was the Paralympic one. And at Rio, she has fulfilled her dream. Besides that she has also won medals in swimming at international competitions, holds the Asian record in javelin throw, and also has World Championships silver medals in shot put and discus in 2011.#1month ago and Deepa Malik made history by becoming India's first ever female #Paralympics medallist! #Rio2016https://t.co/GQYiZGy5LXSAKSHI MALIK (3.37%)Sakshi Malik ended India's agonising wait for a medal at the Rio Olympics by clinching the Bronze in the 58kg category, pulling off a sensational 8-5 victory over Aisuluu Tynybekova of Kyrgyzstan in the play-off bout.The 23-year-old from Rohtak became only the fourth woman athlete from India to win an Olympic medal as she earned the dramatic win after falling behind 0-5 in the do-or-die bout. Her victory brought cheers to the Indian contingent that had endured agonising 11 days without a medal.DEVENDRA JHAJHARIA (3.04%)India's Devendra Jhajharia bettered his own world record to win Gold in the men's javelin throw F46 event at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.