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MS Dhoni
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MS Dhoni (born 7 July 1981) is an Indian former international cricketer and one of the most successful captains in the history of the sport. Known for his calm demeanor under pressure—earning the nickname "Captain Cool"—and his finishing ability, Dhoni led India to victories in all three major ICC tournaments (2007 ICC T20 World Cup, 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, and 2013 ICC Champions Trophy)[1]. He scored over 17,000 international runs (10,773 in ODIs) and effected 829 dismissals behind the stumps[2]. He has been honored with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan, and was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in June 2025[2].
Early Life
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was born on 7 July 1981 in a middle-class Rajput family in Ranchi, Bihar (now Jharkhand). His father, Pan Singh, worked at MECON and his mother, Devaki Devi, was a homemaker. Growing up in a small home, Dhoni excelled in sports, initially playing football (as a goalkeeper) and badminton before switching to cricket, joining Commando Cricket Club and later the Central Coal Fields team[3].
Education
Dhoni completed his schooling at DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir in Shyamali, Ranchi. He briefly enrolled in St. Xavier's College, Ranchi for a B.Com degree but left to focus on cricket[4].
Career
Dhoni worked as a ticket collector at Kharagpur railway station before domestic cricket took off. He debuted for Bihar in first-class cricket in 1999, leading to national U‑19 and ‘A’ team selections[5].
International Debut & Rise
Dhoni debuted in ODIs on 23 December 2004 against Bangladesh and in Tests on 2 December 2005 vs Sri Lanka[6]. His breakthrough innings came in 2005 with a record-breaking 148 vs Pakistan[7].
IPL Career
Dhoni has been captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) since the IPL's inception in 2008, leading them to titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. He also won the Champions League Twenty20 twice (2010, 2014)[6][8].
Captaincy
Dhoni became limited-overs captain in 2007 and Test captain in 2008. Under him, India won:
- 2007 ICC T20 World Cup
- 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, sealed with his iconic six[7]
- 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, becoming the first captain to win all three ICC trophies[6][9]
India also reached No.1 in Test rankings in 2009[6]. He retired from Test cricket in December 2014 and from international limited-overs on 15 August 2020[10], but continues to play in the IPL.
Achievements
- Only captain to win all three ICC limited-overs trophies[6][9]
- Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2007–08), first recipient from Jharkhand[5][11]
- Padma Shri (2009) and Padma Bhushan (2018)[5][11]
- ICC ODI Player of the Year (2008, 2009)[5][6]
- Inducted into ICC Hall of Fame (2025)[2]
Records
Personal Life
Dhoni married Sakshi Rawat on 4 July 2010; they have a daughter, Ziva Dhoni[4]. He holds an honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army[1]. Business-wise, he's co-owner of Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League and launched his brand SEVEN in 2016[14]. He's also the subject of the film M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016)[15].
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wikipedia – MS Dhoni
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 MS Dhoni inducted into ICC Hall of Fame
- ↑ GlobalIndian – Early Years
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 CareerIndia – Education
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Sportsmatik – Biography
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 LeverageEdu – Debut
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 CareerIndia – 148 vs Pakistan
- ↑ CareerIndia – IPL Achievements
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Career – ICC Trophies
- ↑ Dhoni retires
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 MS Dhoni Awards
- ↑ JagranJosh – Records
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 First WK stumpings
- ↑ Seven brand
- ↑ Wikipedia – Biopic