BCCI recommends Mithali Raj and R Ashwin for the Khel Ratna award

New Delhi: The BCCI has nominated the Indian ODI Skipper Mithali Raj and Indian off-spinner R Ashwin for the prestigious Khel Ratna Award. The duo recently has brought laurel on the cricket field for Indians in the past months. 

Mithali Raj who is popularly called Sachin Tendulkar of the Indian women cricket due to her consistency and longevity has recently surged into the top 5 ranking of the ICC women ODI batsman ranking. 

The 38-year-old, who has completed 22 years in international cricket, on Sunday rescued her side from a precarious 27 for two by scoring 72 runs but India's total of 201 for eight was not challenging enough for England.

Mithali, who had led India to the final of the last World Cup played at Lord's in 2017 gained three slots to reach the fifth position after the Bristol knock. The formerly top-ranked batter returned to the top five for the first time since October 2019.

While Ravichandran Ashwin has added many feathers in his cap especially this year. He was elected as the player of the month in February for his all-round performance against England. 

Scoring a total of 176 runs across 3 tests and taking 24 wickets, Ashwin was the unanimous choice to win in the men’s category for February and garnered the most votes in the fan vote.

Recently he went past pat Cummins as the most successful bowler in the ICC Test championship by trapping Newzealand opener Devon Conway leg before the wicket in WTC Final. R Ashwin who scalped 2 wickets on the reserve day of the WTC final had 71 wickets in his kitty as far as the first edition of the ICC Test championship is concerned. (WD)