BCCI recommends Bumrah, Shami, Jadeja and Poonam Yadav for Arjuna award
New Delhi, Apr 27: The BCCI on Saturday recommended India pacers Mohammad Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and women's team spinner Poonam Yadav for the Arjuna award.
The decision was taken during the Supreme Court-appointed CoA meeting in the capital.
The 25-year-old Bumrah, who is currently playing in the IPL for Mumbai Indians, is a regular across all three formats for India and have been recommended for the coveted award after impressive Test tour of South Africa, England and Australia. He will be spearheading India's campaign in the upcoming World Cup in the UK.
Bumrah's bowling partner Shami has been a crucial cog in the Indian bowling set up while all-rounder Jadeja has also made a comeback in the limited overs team and has been named in the 15-member squad for the World Cup in England and Wales.
India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who was recommended last year by the BCCI but was not short-listed by the awards panel, doesn't feature among the board's choice this year.
The 27-year-old leg-spinner, Poonam, is the fourth name to be nominated. She has picked up 63 wickets from 41 ODI's and 74 wickets from 54 T20 games.
Saba Karim, BCCI GM - Cricket Operations, proposed the names of all four players to the COA.
India captain Virat Kohli was bestowed with the prestigious Khel Ratna, India's highest sporting honour last year while women's team opener Smriti Mandhana got the Arjuna.
For this year, leggie Yadav was BCCI's only choice among the female players.
"There was no other deserving candidate to be honest. Most of the senior players have already got the award while it is still early days for the youngsters even though they have done well at the global stage," a BCCI official told.
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Nitish likely to file nominations for Rajya Sabha polls
Patna (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to file nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha polls on Thursday, according to JD(U) leaders.
Kumar may file his nomination papers at the state assembly around 11 am, they said.
BJP president Nitin Nabin will also file his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha polls.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to be present at the time of filing of the nomination papers.
State minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary had confirmed on Wednesday that Kumar was considering entering the Rajya Sabha, which would bring to an end his tenure as the longest-serving chief minister of the state.
With Kumar likely to step down after leading the ruling NDA to a landslide victory in the 2025 assembly elections, a BJP leader is expected to take over the top post.
If that happens, Bihar will get its first BJP chief minister -- the only Hindi heartland state where the party has not held the office so far.
However, an official announcement regarding Kumar's entry into the Upper House of Parliament is yet to be made.
Five Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar will go to the polls on March 16.
The elections will be held as the tenures of JD(U)'s Harivansh Narayan Singh and Ram Nath Thakur, RJD's Prem Chand Gupta and Amarendra Dhari Singh, and RLM's Upendra Kushwaha are ending.
As per the latest tally in the state legislature, all five seats would now go to the ruling NDA.
Before filing his nomination papers, the BJP president will visit the revered Mahavir Temple here and offer prayers.
