The BCCI has chosen to send in the names of Ravichandran Ashwin and Indian Skipper Mithali Raj for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award while KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, and Shikhar Dhawan names will be proposed for the Arjuna Award.

Addressing ANI, sources up to date of development affirmed the names. “We had a nitty-gritty conversation and it was chosen to send in the names of Ashwin and women’s Test and ODI captain Mithali’s name for the Khel Ratna. We are suggesting Shikhar Dhawan again for Arjuna while we will likewise propose the names of Rahul and Bumrah,” the source said. 

The Khel Ratna Award is the most noteworthy sporting honor in India, while the Arjuna Award is additionally a prestigious prize for Indian athletes. It is the dream of each Indian sportsperson to be honored with this award.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports had before chosen to broaden the last date of submission of application for the upcoming National Sports Awards 2021. Prior, the last date for submitting applications was June 21. 

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Recently, Mithali turned into the solitary woman cricketer to have a international career traversing of over 22 years. The 38-year-old legend had made her debut on June 26, 1999. Just Sachin Tendulkar (22 years 91 days) has a more extended career than Mithali Raj across Indian  cricket. No other cricketer has been active in worldwide cricket for up to 22 years. 

Ashwin, who is now an Arjuna awardee like Mithali, has additionally been a steady performer for India in Indian Test cricket. The 34-year-old right-arm off-breaker has addressed India in 79 Tests, 111 ODIs, and 46 T20Is so far since his introduction as a debutant in 2010. Ashiwin has scored 5,977 runs in 142 ODIs besides 2315 and 1673 Test and T20 runs respectively. 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 a limited format.

Dhawan, who will be skipper for India in the upcoming limited overs series in Sri Lanka, is also a frontrunner for Arjuna. 

As of now, both Mithali and Ashwin are in the UK as a part of the Indian women and men’s squad individually for England tour. With there outstanding performance not only on home ground but also around the world has brought fame for these players.

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In the interim, Former India cricketer Saba Karim, who was additionally BCCI head manager for cricket operations until December last year, accepts that to make women’s cricket to grow quicker a ‘more expert approach’ and an ‘independent plan from men’s cricket’ were the key prerequisites. 

The women’s team, captained by Mithali Raj, recently drew the one-off Test with hosts England and are planned to likewise play an one-off Day and Night Test against Australia in September next to a white-ball series. 

The nominations/applications from the qualified sportspersons/ mentors/ elements/ colleges were welcomed for the honor and they were to be e-mailed as per an authority statement from the ministry of sports.

Moreover, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) has suggested football star and skipper Sunil Chhetri and the Odisha government-designated expert sprinter Dutee Chand for the Khel Ratna Award. Aside from Dutee, the Odisha government additionally sent five other recommendations to the sports ministry. 

Manika Batra, Rohit Sharma, Vinesh Phogat, Rani Rampal, and Mariyappan Phangavelu were granted the Khel Ratna Award last year and it was the first time when that five athletes got the honor around the same year. 

National sports federations were prior approached to send applications by June 28. Numerous NSFs including Tennis, Boxing, and Wrestling have sent applications, while now BCCI has additionally sent them. The Odisha government has apparently suggested the name of Dutee Chand for the Khel Ratna honor.