During 27th Edition of ‘Mann Ki Baat’, which will be the last this year, Modi said the performances of Indian cricket team and junior hockey team have been phenomenal.

But the PM reserved special praise for young batsman Karun Nair who became only the second Indian batsman, after Virender Sehwag, to hit a triple hundred in Test cricket.

Modi congratulated Ashwin on becoming the Cricketer of the Year.

In an exceptional year, Indian cricket team registered five successive series wins under Virat Kohli, and were crowned the world number one in the traditional format of the game.

He also congratulated the junior hockey team for winning the World Cup after a gap of 15 years.

Modi began his address by wishing his listeners ‘Merry Christmas’. Then he said, “today is also the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The country will never forget his contribution to the nation.”

  has hailed cricketers Ravichandran Ashwin and Karun Nair for the exemplary feats., New Delhi: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the nation on his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme on Sunday