MS Dhoni becomes ninth Indian cricketer to be nominated for the Padma Bhushan award. (Source: Reuters) MS Dhoni becomes ninth Indian cricketer to be nominated for the Padma Bhushan award. (Source: Reuters)

MS Dhoni has been nominated for the prestigious Padma Bhushan Award by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday. With the nomination, former India captain Dhoni joins the elite club comprising of Cottari Nayudu, Vinoo Mankand, Sunil Gavaskar, Raja Bhalendra Singh, Dinkar Balwant Deodhar, Kapil Dev, Chandu Borde and Rahul Dravid.

A senior BCCI official confirmed that the cricket governing body of India has sent only MS Dhoni’s name for the Padma awards this year. The wicketkeeper-batsman has made immense contributions to Indian cricket and is the only captain to win all ICC trophies.

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“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 told PTI.

After stepping down from the post of captaincy, Dhoni has been in tremendous form with the bat. The right-handed batsman, who had retired from the Test cricket in 2015, has played 14 ODI innings ever since passing on the responsibility to Virar Kohli and has scored 627 runs at an average of 89.57 and strike rate of 85.65.

READ: MS Dhoni will play in 2023 World Cup, says Michael Clarke

This year continues to be a memorable one for the cricketer, not only with the bat but with the gloves too. The 36-year old became the first wicketkeeper to effect 100 stumpings and also became sixth Indian batsman to feature in 300 ODIs, joining the likes of Mohammad Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Yuvraj Singh. He has been in good touch with the bat and has bailed the side out of trouble on numerous occasions. With runs under his belt, Dhoni is a certain for 2019 World Cup and Michael Clarke even felt that he sees Dhoni in 2023 World Cup.

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