By IANS,
Chennai : If any Indian cricketer deserves the Bharat Ratna, the country’s highest civilian award, it is batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar, skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Wednesday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch of the Indian Premier League Chennai Super Kings team which he leads, here on Wednesday, Dhoni opined that given Tendulkar’s contribution to Indian cricket, he was “200 percent” worthy of the award.
“I agree 200 percent. He is the ideal candidate. He has served the country for a very long time. As a cricketer, if he doesnt get it then no one else can get it.
“He has done great things for the country, taking cricket to the next level. He has made the country proud and taken cricket to places where no one knew about cricket,” said Dhoni who himself had grown up idolizing Tendulkar.
Earlier this week, the Maharashtra government had recommended Tendulkar for the award in the wake of the World Cup triumph.
Reacting to Tendulkar’s statement that Dhoni was the best captain he had played under, the skipper said he deemed it an honour to receive the accolade from the maestro.
“It is a great pleasure that he said what he said. I have been honest since the time I have started playing cricket. I have been trying to fulfill expectations. I am also serving the nation like him,” said Dhoni.