Skipper Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Michael Clarke were named joint winners of the Allan Border Medal on Tuesday night.
Ponting and Clarke were locked on 41 votes, three ahead of Michael Hussey on 38, with paceman Mitchell Johnson and the born-again Simon Katich sharing fourth on 30 votes.
For the first time in the event's 10-year history, the medal was awarded with Australia's on-field superiority in question, adding significance to the victory of the team's two on-field leaders.
"As we all know it's been an up and down year for the team. Everybody right now is writing us off but I know deep down in my heart we're not far away at all," Ponting said.
"And the results would even prove that over the last couple of months. It's been an amazing time with some of our greats leaving the team and some very young and exciting players coming into the team."
"It's an amazing challenge for me and Michael to keep leading this team in the right direction, hopefully showing some direction and passing on some experience to the younger guys."
A winner in 2005 when relatively new to the international scene, Clarke's second Medal triumph comes at a time when he is shaping as the heir apparent to Ponting.
"I guess for me as soon as I walked into the Australian team I've tried to learn as much as possible from Ricky Ponting and nothing's really changed to be honest," he said.
"I guess being vice-captain has brought me a lot closer. I'm involved now, sometimes in selections, leadership meetings and things like that."
"So it's really given me a greater opportunity to continue to learn."
