M.S. Dhoni has been recommended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third highest civilian honour. Apart from the Padma Shri, Dhoni has received the Arjuna Award and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna.
While India’s highest decorated cricketer is Sachin Tendulkar (Bharat Ratna, 2014), Dhoni is likely to join a group of illustrious cricketers who have been awarded the Padma Bhushan — Col. C.K. Nayudu, Vinoo Mankad, Prof. D.B. Deodhar, Lala Amarnath, Chandu Borde, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Rahul Dravid, among others. The nomination was done online after the BCCI came to know that the process was closing on September 15
PTI adds:
The 36-year-old has scored 9737 runs in 302 ODIs besides 4876 runs in 90 Test matches. He has also played 78 T20 Internationals, notching up 1212 runs.
He has 16 international hundreds (6 in Tests and 10 in ODIs) along with 100 international half-centuries.
As a wicketkeeper, Dhoni has held 584 catches across formats (256 in Tests, 285 in ODIs and 43 in T20 Internationals). He has also effected 163 stumpings.
Dhoni is already a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna, Rajeev Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri awards. If he is conferred with Padma Bhushan, he will become the 11th Indian cricketer to get the third highest civilian honour.
