Dhoni-A legend who made his own identity on the field
Dhoni, who made his international debut in 2004, has achieved a different position with his calm nature and the art of maintaining composure even in difficult situations. Where big players crumble under pressure, Dhoni always kept calm and took the right decisions.
His strategic understanding was excellent. In the last years of his career, his association with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL has made him one of India's most beloved icons. He gave everything that could be expected of his country and his hometown Ranchi.
Fans' love: "Mahi is hitting!"
Dhoni's birthday has been flooded with wishes on social media. An internet user wrote, "They can mock the name but can never touch the legend. He didn't chase greatness, he defined it. Calm in the storm, fierce in the silence... always our Captain Cool. 💙 Happy Birthday, MS Dhoni! 🐐" Another fan said, "Happy Birthday MS Dhoni 🔥 Great cricketer. Batsman, wicketkeeper, finisher and above all the best captain...
Special gift from Star Sports
Star Sports has also shared a special video on Dhoni's birthday. He wrote, "You didn't just lead a team. You led an entire generation of fans ❤ From the 2007 T20 World Cup miracle to that unforgettable six in 2011, thank you for giving us those hair-raising moments, Mahi. Happy birthday, @msdhoni! Watch '7 Shades of Dhoni' on Star Sports Network and JioCinema on July 7."
Dhoni's unmatched cricket record:
The numbers speak for themselves!Dhoni's cricket career has been great and the numbers testify to this.International runs and dismissals: Dhoni has scored a total of 17,266 international runs and 829 dismissals for India across all three formats. He has played 538 matches for India, making him one of the greatest players in the world.
King of ODIs-
Of course, Dhoni's strongest format has been One Day Internationals (ODI). In 350 ODIs, he has scored 10,773 runs at an impressive average of 50.57. He has 10 centuries and 73 half-centuries to his name, with his highest score being 183* – a benchmark for finishers!
What makes this achievement even more extraordinary is that he scored over 10,000 runs mostly batting down the order. He is India’s sixth-highest run-scorer in ODIs, behind only legend Sachin Tendulkar (18,426 runs).
Most successful captain:
As captain, Dhoni led India in 200 ODIs, including 110 wins and 74 losses. Five matches were tied and 11 ended in no result, giving him a win percentage of 55%. Under his captaincy, India won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.
Test cricket performance:
In the longer format, Dhoni played 90 Tests, scoring 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09 with six centuries and 33 half-centuries, with a career-best score of 224. He is the 14th-highest run-scorer for India in Tests.
As Test captain:
As Test captain, he led India in 60 matches, including 27 wins, 18 losses and 15 draws, with a win percentage of 45%. His captaincy is considered one of the most successful periods in Indian cricket history. He led India to the top of the ICC Test rankings and is the only Indian captain to whitewash Australia in a Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, achieving the feat in both the 2010-11 and 2012-13 series.
'Thala' in IPL:
In the IPL, under his captaincy, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have won the prestigious title in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023. Overall, Dhoni has captained 226 IPL matches, winning 133 of them.