The Indian cricket board has nominated Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the third highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan. Reportedly, the Board has only sent one name this year for the Padma awards. It was a unanimous decision to nominate Dhoni.
“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 saying by PTI.
Dhoni has scored 9737 runs in 302 ODIs and 4876 runs in 90 Test matches. He has also played 78 T20 Internationals, making 1212 runs. He has 16 international hundreds (6 in Tests and 10 in ODIs) and 100 international half-centuries. Already a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna, Rajeev Gandhi Khel Ratna and the Padma Shri award, if Dhoni is conferred with Padma Bhushan, he will become 11th Indian cricketer to get it.
Other notable 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.
