He is the only captain to win all three ICC white-ball trophies.
This record will probably never be broken in the history of cricket. MS Dhoni is the only captain in the world to have won all three major ICC white-ball trophies.
When Team India went to South Africa for the T20 World Cup in 2007, no one expected this team to win. But Dhoni got the young team together and came back with a win. Then that moment at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2011 when Dhoni hit a six to win the World Cup - it remains the most memorable moment in Indian cricket. And he did it again in the final of the Champions Trophy in England in 2013.
This record is even more special because even great captains like Ricky Ponting, Steve Waugh or Clive Lloyd could not achieve this feat. Dhoni won all three white-ball tournaments, and this is the biggest strength of his captaincy - From youngsters to experienced players, everyone laid down their lives for him.
Stumping in 0.08 seconds: Faster than the blink of an eye
Did you know that it takes 0.10 to 0.15 seconds to blink? Now imagine, if a person does stumping in less time than that? That's what MS Dhoni did.
This record of keeping wickets in 0.08 seconds is not in the name of anyone else in international cricket. When Dhoni used to stand behind the wicket, the batsmen had to stay inside their crease. He used to take the bails off at the speed of a cheetah.
How can you understand that? In the process of taking a run, the batsman comes out of the crease, and the next moment the stumps are in the hands of the wicketkeeper and the batsman has returned to the pavilion. This skill of Dhoni broke the dreams of many big batsmen. Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, Rahul Dravid - all have suffered stumpings at the hands of Dhoni.
This record is unbreakable because such a fast stumping requires not just technique, but a different kind of instinct, reflexes and thousands of hours of practice. And so far no wicketkeeper has crossed this barrier.
Most stumpings in international cricket (195)
The wicket-keeper's main job is to take catches, but Dhoni made stumping an art. He has 195 stumpings to his name in all three formats of international cricket - Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara is second with 139 stumpings to his name. That is, Dhoni has done 56 more stumpings than Sangakkara. This difference is huge.
The biggest feature of Dhoni was that he understood the action of the bowlers very well. He knew when the spinner would turn, when the ball would straighten. He used to 'motivate' the bowlers that you bowl, I will take wickets. And that's what would have happened.
In today's era when there is more focus on bouncers and running catches in wicketkeeping, hardly any wicketkeeper can touch the figure of 195 stumpings. This record will remain with Dhoni.
Most international matches as captain: 332
How long has Dhoni been India's ODI captain? He captained India in a total of 332 international matches - 200 ODIs, 60 Tests and 72 T20Is.
He is followed by Australia's Ricky Ponting, who captained the side in 324 matches. That is, Dhoni also left Ponting behind.
This record is so big that at present no captain sees a chance to break it. For captaincy, it is not only important to be a good player, but also the art of handling the team, handling pressure and staying calm in every situation. Dhoni had it all.
And that was his specialty. Be it any difficulty, be it the pressure of the match, his face never changed. The same style of 'Captain Cool'. Under his captaincy, India won many historic victories, including the 2011 World Cup and winning the series for the first time.
Highest ODI score by a captain at No. 7 (113 *)
This record is a little different, but no less special. In ODI cricket, top-order batsmen usually score big hundreds. But against Pakistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in 2012, Dhoni came out to bat at No. 7 and played an unbeaten knock of 113 runs.
This is the biggest innings by any captain batting at No. 7 or below in ODI history.
The specialty of this innings was that Dhoni handled the team in a crisis situation. Wickets were falling, runs were hard to come by, but Dhoni held one end and rotated the strike and hit the big shots. He hit 11 fours and 3 sixes to take India to a respectable total.
This record is difficult to break because there are very few captains who bat at No. 7. And even if a captain bats there, there is very little chance of scoring a century.
The legacy of MS Dhoni: Why are they so different?
Dhoni is not just great because of his records. He gave a new direction to Indian cricket. He relied on youngsters, including the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah. He instilled confidence in every player.
Perhaps that is his greatest legacy - that he never made a player better by scolding him, but by believing in him. From Sachin Tendulkar to Virat Kohli, everyone has praised Dhoni.
And that 'helicopter shot "- which he perfected during his career. That shot was a sight to behold and the bowlers knew that if Dhoni hit that shot, the ball would go out of the stadium.
What do experts say?
Former India captain Ravi Shastri once said, "Dhoni is the biggest captain in Indian cricket because he has won all three ICC trophies. It's not about anyone else. "
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke said, "Dhoni's mental strength was amazing. His calmness under pressure was his biggest strength. "
These words are enough to prove Dhoni's greatness.