The legendary wicketkeeper-batter and former India captain MS Dhoni, who is known as the evergreen ‘captain cool,’ turned 43 on Sunday. Dhoni, famous for his calm and brilliant captaincy both in international cricket and the IPL, led Team India to three major ICC trophies. He retired from all forms of cricket on 15 August 2020 ending a remarkable career.

Dhoni’s leadership saw India achieve top honors in all formats. Under his captaincy, India held the top Test ranking for 18 months starting in December 2009, won the One day World Cup in 2011, and secured the T20 world title in 2007 on his captaincy debut.

From ticket collector to cricket icon

T20 WC in 2007
Test mace in 2010
IPL in 2010
CLT20 in 2010
Asia Cup in 2010
World Cup in 2011
Test mace in 2011
IPL in 2011
Champions Trophy in 2013
CLT20 in 2014
Asia Cup in 2016
IPL in 2018
IPL in 2021
IPL in 2023

MS DHONI – THE GOAT CAPTAIN 🐐 pic.twitter.com/AElFaTf9WW

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 7, 2024

Dhoni’s journey is one of the most inspiring in sports history. He went from being a ticket collector at a railway station to becoming India’s most successful captain, leading the team to the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, and ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. He made his international debut in 2004 and became known for his aggressive batting, later evolving into a strategic finisher.

Dhoni played 98 T20Is for India, scoring 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60 and a strike rate of 126.13. In Tests, he played 90 matches, scoring 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09, with six centuries and 33 half centuries. He is India’s 14th highest scorer in Tests.

Dhoni’s captaincy and strategic brilliance

– ODI WC winner as Captain
– T20I WC winner as Captain
– CT winner as Captain
– 5 time IPL winner as Captain
– 2 time CLT20 winner as Captain
– 17266 runs in International cricket
– 829 dismissal as wicket keeper

Happy Birthday wishes to the Greatest ever, MS DHONI. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/RnaEYkzd90

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 6, 2024

As captain, Dhoni led India in 60 Test matches, winning 27, losing 18, and drawing 15, with a win percentage of 45.00. He led India to the number one ranking in ICC Test Rankings and is the only Indian skipper to whitewash Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, achieving this in the 2010-11 and 2012-13 series. He also led Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 titles.

Dhoni played 264 IPL matches, mostly for CSK, and some for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016-2017. In these matches, he scored 5,243 runs at an average of 39.13, with 24 half-centuries, 152 catches, and 42 stumpings.

With such impressive statistics as a middle-order batter and a captain, it is unlikely that India and world cricket will see another phenomenon like ‘captain cool’ again.