JOIN USOff-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who won the Cricket Board's Polly Umrigar Trophy best player award in 2012-13 season, has been recommended by the BCCI for the Government's prestigious Arjuna Award this year.
"Yes, Ashwin has been recommended for the Arjuna Award before the April 30 deadline. No other cricketer has been recommended (for the awards)," said Ratnakar Shetty, BCCI General Manager (Game Development).
The cricketer to get the Arjuna Award was Virat Kohli last year. A total of 46 cricketers, including women, have been conferred the sporting honour.
Ashwin became the fastest bowler in 80 years to complete 100 wickets in his 19th Test last November against the West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium here, the farewell game of Sachin Tendulkar.
The 27-year-old Chennai-born tweaker overtook the previous Indian record of one of the members of the famed spin quartet - off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna - to reach the 100- wicket mark in one fewer Test.
Ashwin, who is also a useful batsman, has taken 104 wickets in Tests, 106 in 79 ODIs and 25 wickets in the same number of T20 internationals.