10 Facts about the Life and Cricket Career of MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni was born on July 7, 1981, in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India (then part of Bihar). He comes from a humble background and initially excelled in sports like badminton and football before switching to cricket.

Dhoni started his cricket career playing for the Bihar cricket team in the 1999-2000 season. After Jharkhand became a separate state, he represented Jharkhand in domestic cricket.

Dhoni made his ODI debut for India on December 23, 2004, against Bangladesh in Chittagong. He made his Test debut on December 2, 2005, against Sri Lanka, and his T20I debut on December 1, 2006, against South Africa.

Dhoni was appointed as the captain of the Indian ODI team in 2007. He led India to victory in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. He also became the Test captain in 2008 and led India to the number one position in the ICC Test rankings in 2009.

Dhoni captained India to a historic victory in the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup. His unbeaten 91 in the final against Sri Lanka, including the iconic winning six, is one of the most memorable moments in cricket history.

Dhoni has been the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) since its inception in 2008. Under his leadership, CSK has won four IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021) and two Champions League T20 titles.

Dhoni is known for his exceptional wicket-keeping and explosive batting. He has over 10,000 runs in ODIs and holds the record for the most stumpings in international cricket. He is also known for his calm and effective leadership under pressure.

Dhoni has received several prestigious awards, including the Padma Bhushan (2018), Padma Shri (2009), and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2007). He has also been named ICC ODI Player of the Year twice (2008, 2009).

Dhoni retired from Test cricket on December 30, 2014. He announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on August 15, 2020. Despite his international retirement, he continues to play in the IPL and lead CSK.

After retiring from international cricket, Dhoni has ventured into various business fields, including sports management, fitness, and agriculture. He also has a keen interest in motorsports and co-owns a racing team, Mahi Racing Team India, in the Supersport World Championship.