Mahendra Singh Dhoni will add one more jewel to his cricket crown: This is how

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India’s most successful cricket captain, has been cleared by the government to be included in the list of Padma awardees.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rio Olympics silver medallist, PV Sindhu, along with chief national badminton coach, Pullela Gopichand have been cleared by the government for the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian honour.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who led the team to two World Cups, has been cleared by the government for the Padma Bhushan. (PTI)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who led the team to two World Cups, is India’s most successful skipper across all three formats. Dhoni led India in 60 Tests, winning a record 27 of them. Dhoni, 35, stepped down as limited-overs skipper early in January but continues to be part of the ODI and T20I squads.

Dhoni won the Padma Shri in 2009.

PV Sindhu in action against Hyderabd Hunters player Carolina Marin in the inaugural match of the Premier Badminton League.

PV Sindhu, 21, had a sensational 2016. The tall shuttler from Gopichand’s academy clinched the Malaysian Grand Prix Gold title last year before producing a brilliant run to the final of the Rio Olympics, where she lost to Spain’s Carolina Marin.

Government sources said around 120 people have been chosen, a significant number of them ‘unsung’ heroes.

The awards will be announced on Wednesday.