On Wednesday, an ANI report confirmed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to recommend three members of the Indian cricket team for the Arjuna Award ahead of the upcoming National Sports Awards 2021.

According to the report, the Indian cricket board has advocated the names of Indian skipper Shikhar Dhawan, wicket-keeper batsman KL Rahul, and pacer Jasprit Bumrah for the prestigious recognition.

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While fans completely backed the decision to honour the 35-year-old Dhawan, who has played for his country for so long and is in the final chapter with the Men in Blue, the endorsement for Rahul and Bumrah seemed to have not been taken too keenly by the Indian cricket fans. 

KL Rahul 🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐🧐

— Parag (@Parag2724) June 30, 2021

Too soon for KL

— A (@anirudhdbz) June 30, 2021

IDOIT BCCI;what rahul have done for India. Arjuna Kumari who won gold medal for India derseves it

— KING KANE 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳 (@Vandan78560184) June 30, 2021

Jasprit bumrah for what ? WTC lose ?

— ᏢᏒᎾfᎬSSᎾᏒ Paul (@_Akkian_paul) June 30, 2021

Bumrah

— Virat Fan (@Kohli_One8) June 30, 2021

award for bumrah for choking

— ♠₦ł₭ⱧłⱠ➐ (@nikhil_salvator) June 30, 2021 

Jasprit Bumrah has not had the best year when it comes to performing as the leading bowler of the Indian attack, especially with Kane Williamson’s New Zealand squad rendering him completely ineffective during the final of the World Test Championship earlier this month, the wounds are still fresh. 

On the other hand, KL Rahul has been injury-stricken for a while now and hasn’t had the opportunity to bat for his side.  

In the WTC final, he was kept away from the Playing XI and one of the primary reasons was his surgery for acute appendicitis that he underwent on May 3. 

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The BCCI has also recommended the names of Ravichandran Ashwin and Mithali Raj for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. 

“We had a detailed discussion and it was decided to send in the names of Ashwin and women’s Test and ODI skipper’s name for the Khel Ratna. We are recommending Dhawan again for the Arjuna while we will also suggest the names of Rahul and Bumrah," news agency ANI quoted a source in the know of developments as saying.

Congratulations @ImRo45 for being conferred with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, 2020, India’s highest sporting honour. He is only the fourth Indian cricketer to receive this award.

We are proud of you, Hitman! pic.twitter.com/ErHJtBQoj9

— BCCI (@BCCI) August 21, 2020

Last year, the Khel Ratna award was given to Manika Batra, Rohit Sharma, Vinesh Phogat, Rani Rampal and Mariyappan Thangavelu. 

It was the very first time in the history of Indian sports that five athletes were awarded this honour in a single year.

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