Khel Ratna Award 2020: 'Hitman' Rohit Sharma Among Five Athletes To Be Conferred With Top Sporting Honour

After Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli, Rohit will be the fourth in the row to be conferred with the Khel Ratna.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: India's star opener and ODI deputy skipper Rohit Sharma is among the five sportsperson picked for India's highest sporting honour - the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award. After Sachin Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli, Rohit will be the fourth in the row to be conferred with the Khel Ratna. As per the PTI reports, the selection panel comprising former India opener Virender Sehwag and former captain of the men's national hockey team Sardar Sigh reportedly met on Tuesday at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) headquarters for deciding the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and other national sports awards. The Khel Ratna Award is given to an athlete for his, or her, spectacular performance for the country at the highest level over a period of four years. The only cricketer to be recommended by the committee, Rohit's nomination for the Khel Ratna came after his outstanding 2019 performance with 556 runs at an average of 92.66 in five Test matches, all while opening the batting for the first time. India's 'Hitman' was in a staggering form with the bat for his team in the 2019 50-overs World Cup in England. He scripted history as he became the first-ever batsman to score five centuries in single World Cup edition. Rohit is also India's second-highest ton maker at the Cricket World Cup. With five tons, he is only behind Sachin Tendulkar who has six World Cup centuries for India. Meanwhile, Wrestler Vinesh Phogat, table-tennis ace Manika Batra, Indian women's hockey team captain Rani Rampal and Paralympic gold medalist Mariappan Thangavelu are the other four athletes recommended for the top sporting honour. The 29 athletes recommended for the prestigious Arjuna award this year includes Indian cricket team fast bowler Ishant Sharma, Rio Olympics Bronze medal winning wrestler Sakshi Malik, kabaddi player Deepak Hooda and more.