MS Dhoni

 MAHENDRA SINGH DHONI 

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (/məˈheɪndrə ˈsɪŋ dhæˈnɪ/ (listen); born 7 July 1981), commonly known as MS Dhoni, is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian national team in limited-overs formats from 2007 to 2017 and in Test cricket from 2008 to 2014, who plays as a Wicket-keeper-Batsman. He is also the current captain of Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, the most by any captain. He also led India to victory in the 2010 and 2016 Asia Cup. Additionally, under his leadership, India won the 2010 and 2011 ICC Test Mace and 2013 ICC ODI Championship. He has scored 17,266 runs in International Cricket (including 10,000 plus runs in ODI Internationals). Dhoni is a right-handed wicket-keeper batsman known for his calm captaincy and his ability to finish matches in tight situations for these reasons he is considered one of the best finishers in the game ever, as well as one of the greatest wicket-keepers and captains in the history of cricket.

Born in Ranchi, Bihar (now in Jharkhand),[2][3] His exceptional wicketkeeping skills allowed him to become the regular wicketkeeper at the Commando Cricket Club (1995–1998), he was picked for the 1997/98 season Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under-16 Championship, where he performed well.[4] From 2001 to 2003, He worked as a Travelling Ticket Examiner at Kharagpur railway station under South Eastern Railway in Midnapore, in West Bengal.[5][6] In Indian domestic cricket he played for Bihar and then for Jharkhand Cricket team. Dhoni's performance in the 2002–03 season included three half-centuries in the Ranji Trophy and a couple of half-centuries in the Deodhar Trophy, as he started gaining recognition for his lower-order contribution as well as hard-hitting batting style.

Dhoni made his ODI debut on 23 December 2004, against Bangladesh in Chittagong,[7] and played his first Test a year later against Sri Lanka.[8] He played his first T20I also a year later against South Africa.[9] In 2007, he took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid and he also selected as T20I captain of India in this year.[10] In 2008, he was selected as Test captain.[11] His captaincy record in Tests format was mixed, successfully leading India to a series win against New Zealand in 2008 and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (home series in 2010 and 2013) against Australia while losing to Sri Lanka, Australia, England, and South Africa by big margins in away conditions.[12]

He is the captain of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League, leading them to the final on 9 occasions and winning in the 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021 editions of the league, as well as winning the Champions League T20 two times, in 2010 and 2014. He is the 7th cricketer have scored more than 5,000 runs in the IPL, as well as being the first wicket-keeper to do so.

Dhoni received India's highest sports honour, the Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna Award in 2008 for his outstanding achievements and the Government of India honoured him India's fourth civilian award Padma Shri in 2009 and third civilian award Padma Bhushan in 2018. He is the only cricket captain in the world to win all three of the Cricket World Cup, ICC Men's T20 World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy. Dhoni holds an honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment of the Indian Territorial Army,[13] it was presented to him by the Indian Army in 2011 for his service to the nation as a cricketer.[14] Dhoni is considered one of the most popular cricket in the world.[15] He is a leading brand endorser celebrity in India.

Dhoni was contracted by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for US$1.5 million. This made him the most expensive player in the IPL for the first season auctions.[140] Under his captaincy, CSK won the 2010, 2011, 2018 and the 2021 Indian Premier League titles and the 2010 and 2014 Champions League T20 titles and ended up as a runner-up in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2019 league seasons.[141][142]

MS Dhoni became the first player to play 200 T20 matches for Super Kings. Dhoni is at the top of the list of most matches played in the Indian Premier League.[143] Dhoni is also one of the three captains to have won the Indian Premier League twice, with CSK.[144]

In 2015, the Chennai Super Kings got banned from the IPL for 2 years by R.M. Lodha from the committee of Supreme Court of India.[145] They were banned due to the illegal betting of one of their officials, Gurunath Meiyappan.[146] He was arrested with charges of spot-fixing[147] According to Dhoni, it was darkest period of his career. He said "The biggest crime that I can commit is not a murder, it is actually match-fixing".[148][149]

In 2016, Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS), a debuting IPL franchise team made him captain but after poor performance of the team in that season they removed Dhoni from captain's position and chose Steve Smith, then Australian national team captain, for the post. Dhoni played as wicketkeeper batsman in 2017 season for RPS.[150]

In the 2018 IPL season, CSK returned to IPL, and he was again appointed to lead the franchise by the franchise. Dhoni scored 455 runs in that season and led his side to their third IPL title.[151]

In the 2020 & 2021 seasons of the IPL, Dhoni failed to perform where he scored 200 runs in 14 innings in 2020 and 116 runs in 16 innings with an average of 15.29 in 2021 IPL season.[17]

He led the franchise to 4th title in 2021 Indian Premier League season. Dhoni got retained by CSK for ₹12 Cr, before IPL 2022 player's auction.[152] He stepped down from captaincy on 24 March 2022, where Ravindra Jadeja became the new captain.[153][154] However, on 30 April 2022, Jadeja handed over the captaincy back to Dhoni.[155]

National honours

2018: Padma Bhushan, India's third-highest civilian award.[216]

2009: Padma Shri, India's fourth-highest civilian award.[217]

2007–08: Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna award, India's highest honor given for achievement in sports.[218]

Sporting honours

ICC ODI Player of the Year: 2008, 2009[219][220]

ICC World ODI XI: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (captain in 2009, 2011–2014)[221][222]

Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year: 2011[223][224]

ICC Men's ODI team of the decade: 2011–2020 (captain and wicketkeeper)[225]

ICC Men's T20I team of the decade: 2011–2020 (captain and wicketkeeper)[225]

ICC Spirit of the cricket award of the decade: 2011–2020[226][227]

Other honours and awards

MTV Youth Icon of the Year: 2006[228][229]

LG People's Choice Award: 2013[230]

Honorary doctorate degree by De Montfort University in August 2011[231][232]

CNN-News18 Indian of the Year: 2011[233]

In 2019, the Jharkhand Cricket Association named their stadium's South stand after Dhoni – M.S. DHONI PAVILION. [234]

In 2023, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has decided to honour him by dedicating seats (J282–J286) at the Wankhede Stadium where he hit the winning shot in 2011 World Cup Final.