Sourav Ganguly bats for Bharat Ratna to Anand

Kolkata: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly hailed the Indian government`s decision to bestow the Bharat Ratna on Sachin Tendulkar and added that five-time world champion Viswanthan Anand, too, should be in line to get the country`s highest civilian honour.

"I feel Viswanathan Anand is the next big player to get the award. The door is now open for him. The only thing that might go against him is that he stays most of the time in Spain," Ganguly said today. "Bharat Ratna... It`s the official recognition for Sachin Tendulkar in his glowing career," Ganguly said of the batting legend, who became the youngest and only sportsperson to be conferred with the honour. Ganguly futher said this would mark the beginning of sportspersons getting Bharat Ratna which has never happened. "100 per cent... Everything has a beginning. It has definitely opened the gates for sportspersons who will now be inspired to get the Bharat Ratna," Ganguly told a Bengali news channel today. Earlier, the country`s second GM afer Anand, Dibyendu Barua, too said the chess wizard deserved the honour.