MS Dhoni, one of India’s finest cricketers and the perpetual “captain cool,” celebrated his 43rd birthday on July 7, 2024. Renowned for his unprecedented achievement of winning all three ICC white-ball trophies, Dhoni enjoyed a joyous celebration captured in a video shared by his wife, Sakshi, on social media.
The humorous clip became a social media sensation as it showed Sakshi touching Dhoni’s feet in jest and then folding her hands in a playful manner. In the video, Dhoni also inquired if the cake was eggless, likely considering his vegetarian friends.
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Dhoni’s name is synonymous with cricketing excellence and calm, strategic leadership, both in international matches and the IPL. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 15, 2020, concluding a stellar career.
Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India triumphed in all formats, maintaining the top spot in Test rankings for 18 months from December 2009. His leadership saw India winning the 50-over World Cup in 2011 and the T20 World Cup in 2007.
Dhoni’s journey is one of the most inspiring in sports history. From working as a ticket collector at a railway station, he evolved into India’s premier trophy-winning captain, leading the team to victories in ICC T20 World Cup 2007, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, and ICC Champions Trophy 2013. He debuted internationally in 2004, initially known for his powerful hitting, and gradually became a strategic finisher, guiding his team to victories with calculated aggression and remarkable tactics.
Nicknamed “Thala” (leader) by Chennai Super Kings fans, Dhoni played 98 T20Is for India, scoring 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60 and a strike rate of 126.13, with two half-centuries and a top score of 56.
In Test cricket, Dhoni played 90 matches, amassing 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09, including six centuries and 33 half-centuries, with a top score of 224. He ranks as the 14th-highest scorer for India in Tests.
As captain, Dhoni led India in 60 Test matches, achieving 27 wins, 18 losses, and 15 draws, with a win percentage of 45.00, making him one of India’s most successful captains. He steered India to the top of the ICC Test Rankings and is the only Indian captain to whitewash Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, achieving this in the 2010-11 and 2012-13 series.
Beloved as ‘Mahi,’ Dhoni captained India in 72 T20Is, with 41 wins, 28 losses, one tie, and two no-results, boasting a win percentage of 56.94.
Beyond his international success, Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five IPL titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023, and two Champions League T20 titles in 2010 and 2014.
Dhoni played 264 IPL matches, mainly for CSK, with a brief stint at Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016-2017. In these matches, he scored 5,243 runs at an average of 39.13, including 24 half-centuries, and made 152 catches along with 42 stumpings.
Given his remarkable statistics and unparalleled success as a captain, it is unlikely that the cricketing world will see another phenomenon like ‘captain cool’ anytime soon.
