New Delhi, Delhi, India

India women's ODI and Test team skipper Mithali Raj and men's team senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin are set to be selected for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. 

Advertisment

The Khel Ratna Award is the most noteworthy sporting honor in India, while the Arjuna Award is likewise a renowned award for Indian athletes. It is the fantasy of each Indian sportsperson to win these honors. 

According to ANI on Wednesday that Indian women's ODI and Test skipper Mithali Raj has been suggested for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna grant at the National Sports Awards 2021. Indian men's all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has likewise been suggested. 

ALSO READ: Cricket: 'It was a different feeling': Kane Williamson on lifting the Test mace

Advertisment

"We had a detailed discussion and it was decided to send in the names of Ashwin and women's Test and ODI skipper Mithali's name for the Khel Ratna. We are recommending Dhawan again for the Arjuna while we will also suggest the names of Rahul and Bumrah."

Ravichandran Ashwin has been outstanding amongst other all-rounders in current Test cricket, while Mithali is probably the best player in women's cricket.

Ravichandran Ashwin, who is now an Arjuna awardee like Mithali Raj, has likewise been a reliable entertainer for India in Test cricket. He has taken 413 wickets in 79 Tests other than 150 and 42 scalps in ODIs and T20s however he doesn't play for India in the more limited overs. 

Advertisment

Mithali Raj keeps on being probably the greatest name in Indian cricket. She finished 22 years in worldwide cricket last week. The 38-year-old is additionally the leading run-getter with in excess of 7000 runs.

Men's team batsmen Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul and pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be suggested for the Arjuna grant. BCCI has chosen not to send any names from the women's group for the Arjuna award. 

Shikhar Dhawan, who will lead India in the impending limited-overs series in Sri Lanka, is recommended for Arjuna Award. The 35-year-old southpaw has scored 5977 runs in 142 ODIs other than 2315 and 1673 Test and T20 runs individually. 

Last year, five Indian athletes got the Khel Ratna grant. Rohit Sharma was the solitary cricketer among the five competitors. 

Prior to Rohit Sharma, just Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Sachin Tendulkar had won the Khel Ratna award. It will be fascinating to check whether Mithali Raj can turn into the first Indian women cricketer to get this honour.