Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been nominated for the country’s 3rd highest civilian award – The Padma Bhushan for his contribution towards the game of cricket.
A senior BCCI Official announced that the Board has only sent one name for the Padma Awards and Dhoni was the unanimous choice to get nominated for the award.
“Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been nominated by the BCCI for the Padma Bhushan award. There was no doubt among the members that Dhoni has impeccable credentials. Two World titles (2011 50-over World Cup and 2007 World T20), nearly 10,000 runs, 90 Test matches. There is no one better than him, who could have been nominated,” a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying by PTI.
The BCCI hasn’t sent any other nominations for the Padma Awards this year. Dhoni has been a champions limited overs player over the years. He has amassed 9737 runs in 302 ODI’s and 4876 runs in 90 Tests.
He is the only captain to win all three major ICC tournaments including ICC World Cup 2011, Champions Trophy 2013 and 2007 World Twenty20. Meanwhile, he is also the recipient of Arjuna, Rajeev Gandhi Khel Ratna and Padma Shri Award. He will be the 11th Indian cricketer to be bestowed with the Padma Bhushan Award, if he does get one.
Some of the notable international cricketers, who have been the recipients of Padma Bhushan award are Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Rahul Dravid, Chandu Borde, Prof DB Deodhar, Col CK Nayudu, and Lala Amarnath.