Mahendra Singh Dhoni who was born on 7th of July in the year 1981, is a famous dynamic Indian cricketer and one of the most successful captains in the history of Indian cricket. Popularly known as M.S. Dhoni and “Captain Cool”, he is admired for his calm nature, sharp cricketing mind, and excellent leadership skills. Dhoni is also known for his powerful batting, quick wicket-keeping, and finishing matches under pressure.
Even though he retired from international cricket in 2020, Dhoni continues to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and remains one of the most loved cricketers in India and around the world.
Personal life and family -
In July 2010, M.S. Dhoni married Sakshi Singh Rawat, his childhood friend. The couple has a daughter named Ziva Dhoni, who is often seen cheering for her father during cricket matches. Dhoni is known to be a private and humble person, preferring to stay away from the spotlight when not playing cricket.
Childhood and Early life Struggles -
M.S. Dhoni was born in Ranchi, which was then part of Bihar and is now in Jharkhand, India. His father, Pan Singh Dhoni had a government job, and his mother, Devaki Devi, was a homemaker. Dhoni grew up in a middle-class family with his elder brother, Narendra Singh Dhoni, and his sister, Jayanti Gupta.
As a child, Dhoni was interested in sports but not just cricket. He loved playing football and was a goalkeeper for his school’s football team. It was his football coach who first asked him to try wicket-keeping for the school cricket team, and Dhoni agreed. This decision would later change his life!
Initial Cricket Career -
Dhoni started playing cricket seriously during his school days. His quick reflexes as a wicket-keeper and his fearless batting style made him stand out and he soon began playing for local clubs and later represented Bihar in domestic cricket.
For years, Dhoni worked hard in domestic cricket, while also working as a ticket collector for the Indian Railways at the Kharagpur Railway Station. Despite his job, he never gave up on his cricketing dreams.
National to International Roads -
M.S. Dhoni made his debut for the Indian national cricket team in December 2004 in an ODI match against Bangladesh. Unfortunately, he got out for a duck (zero runs) in his first match. In his fifth ODI match against Pakistan in 2005, he scored a brilliant 148 runs, showing the world his explosive batting skills. From there, he became a permanent member of the Indian team. He made his Test debut later in 2005 against Sri Lanka and his T20I debut in 2006 against South Africa.
Major Achievements of Mahendra Singh Dhoni -
Dhoni’s leadership skills were first seen when he was made the captain of the Indian team for the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007. Under his captaincy, India won the tournament, defeating Pakistan in a thrilling final. This victory made Dhoni a national hero overnight. He is the only captain to win all three major ICC trophies in the history of cricket.