NEW DELHI: The Board for Cricket Control in India (BCCI) on Thursday recommended Indian skipper run machine Virat Kohli's name for country's premier sporting honor Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award while Former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar's name has been recommended for Dhyan Chand lifetime achievement award in sports and games.

The development was confirmed by the BCCI.

 On Wednesday, the BCCI had recommended Indian cricketers Smriti Mandhana and Shikhar Dhawan for the Arjuna Award, in credit of the high-spirited performances.

 Worth mentionig here this is the second time when Virat Kohli's name has been recommended for the Khel Ratna award by the country's cricket board BCCI.

In 2016, the BCCI had recommended Kohli's name for the popular award but sadly he did not obtain the award.

If Kohli accords the award this time, he would become the third cricketer to get the Khel Ratna after legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and country's most successful skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Tendulkar bagged the award in 1997 while MS Dhoni clintched the same in 2007.

The high-status award is given for the magnificent and most excellent performance in the field of sports to a sportsperson over a period of four years.