Veteran India pacer Ishant Sharma has been named among 29 sportspersons recommended for the Arjuna award by the sports ministry. Started in 1961, the Arjuna award carries a cash prize of ₹5,00,000, a bronze statue of Arjuna and a scroll.

India's limited-overs vice-captain Rohit Sharma has already been announced as one of the four sportspeople recommended for the country's highest sporting honor, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, for the year 2020.

Ishant had made his Test debut for India in 2007 and earned huge accolades for his tremendous bowling performance during the 2008 Australia tour, where he famously troubled and dismissed Ricky Ponting during the Perth Test match.

The 31-year-old has played 97 Tests, picking up 297 wickets, 80 ODIs picking 115 wickets, and 14 T20I matches with 8 scalps in his long career. Currently, he is the pace spearhead of the Indian bowling attack in Test cricket, and his best bowling figures in the format of 7/74 came in a famous win over England at Lord’s in 2014.

Apart from Ishant, wrestler Sakshi Malik and kabaddi player Deepak Hooda are among those recommended for the Arjuna award. 

Poonam Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja were the two cricketers who received this honor in 2019.

(PTI inputs)