Arjuna Award winners for cricket since 2013: Look at elite list of players

The Arjuna Award is named after the Mahabharata character Arjuna who is bestowed to recognize exceptional accomplishments in sports and games, making it a significant sports honor in India. Administered annually by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, it holds the position of the second-highest sporting accolade in the country, following the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna. Recipients of the award are selected by a committee appointed by the Ministry.

Athletes who receive the Arjuna Award are acknowledged for their exceptional international sports performance spanning four years. They are recognized for showcasing noteworthy qualities such as leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline in their respective fields. The award criteria underwent changes in 2018, restricting it to disciplines encompassing events like the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, World Championship, World Cup, Cricket, Indigenous Games, and Parasports.

The inaugural awardee was Salim Durani in 1961, and in 1976 Shantha Rangaswamy became the first female cricketer to receive the honor. The award plays a crucial role in celebrating exceptional athletes who have excelled on the international stage while embodying qualities of discipline and sportsmanship. Moreover, for the year 2023, as per latest reports, the name of Mohammed Shami is being proposed by Indian Cricket Board (ICB). Shami had an astonishing 2023 year as well as recently concluded ODI World Cup 2023. The veteran India speedster was able to scalped 24 wickets in the seven games which he was part of the Indian team.

Now let us look at elite group of recipients of the Arjuna Award who were recognized for outstanding international sports performance over four years as they demonstrated commendable qualities such as leadership, sportsmanship, and discipline;

Arjuna Award for Cricket: Look at the Full List