Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Celebrity   , ,
Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Name: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (commonly known as MS Dhoni or Mahi)

Introduction: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is a legendary Indian cricketer who captained the Indian national team in all three formats of the game. Widely regarded as one of the greatest captains and wicket-keeper batsmen in the history of cricket, he is known for his calm demeanor under pressure, his astute strategic mind, and his powerful finishing skills.

Date of birth: July 7, 1981

Height: 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m)

Place of birth: Ranchi, Bihar (now Jharkhand) state, India

Family:

  • Parents’ names: Pan Singh (father) and Devaki Devi (mother). His father worked as a junior manager at MECON, a Ministry of Steel PSU, and had migrated from Uttarakhand.
  • Siblings: Narendra Singh Dhoni (elder brother) and Jayanti Gupta (elder sister).
  • Spouse: Sakshi Singh Dhoni (m. July 4, 2010).
  • Children: Ziva Singh Dhoni (daughter, born February 6, 2015).
  • Relatives: His brother Narendra Singh Dhoni is reportedly in politics. His sister Jayanti Gupta is an English teacher.

Profession: Professional cricketer (retired from international cricket), entrepreneur, co-owner of sports franchises.

Nationality: Indian

Religion: Hindu (born into a Hindu Rajput family).

College or university attended: He attended DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamli in Ranchi for his schooling. He later got admission to Gossner College and then enrolled in St. Xavier’s College under the sports quota, but was exempted from regular classes due to his cricketing commitments and did not complete a traditional degree.

Biography and What Famous For:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s journey from a railway ticket collector to one of the most iconic figures in world cricket is a story of immense perseverance and talent. He initially excelled in football as a goalkeeper during his schooling before his cricket coach, Keshav Ranjan Banerjee, encouraged him to try wicket-keeping. He quickly displayed exceptional skills.

Dhoni made his international debut for India in One Day Internationals (ODIs) in 2004. His aggressive batting style and innovative wicket-keeping quickly caught attention.

MS Dhoni is famous for:

  • Only Captain to Win All Three ICC Trophies: This is arguably his most significant achievement. Under his captaincy, India won:
    • The 2007 ICC World Twenty20.
    • The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup (famously hitting the winning six in the final).
    • The 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
  • Leading India to No. 1 in Test Rankings: India achieved the No. 1 ranking in Test cricket for 18 months (2009-2011) under his captaincy.
  • “Captain Cool” and “Finisher”: He earned the nickname “Captain Cool” for his calm and composed leadership, especially in high-pressure situations. He is widely considered one of the best “finishers” in limited-overs cricket, capable of steering chases to victory with powerful hitting and strategic awareness.
  • Exceptional Wicket-keeping: He revolutionized wicket-keeping, known for his lightning-fast stumpings and calm presence behind the stumps. He holds the record for most stumpings by a wicket-keeper in ODI history (120).
  • Indian Premier League (IPL) Success: He has led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023), making CSK one of the most successful franchises in IPL history. He has been the most expensive player in IPL auctions at times and continues to play for CSK after retiring from international cricket.
  • Vast Records: He holds numerous individual records as a captain, wicket-keeper, and batsman in international and domestic cricket. He is also the first player to pass 10,000 runs in ODI cricket with a career average of over 50.

Dhoni retired from international cricket on August 15, 2020, but continues to play in the IPL. Post-retirement, he has ventured into various business and sports ownership roles, including co-owning football and hockey teams. He was recently inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class.

Have participated (Selected Career Highlights and Major Achievements):

International Cricket (India):

  • ICC World Twenty20: 2007 (Winners – Captain)
  • ICC Cricket World Cup: 2011 (Winners – Captain), 2015 (Semifinalist)
  • ICC Champions Trophy: 2013 (Winners – Captain)
  • Asia Cup: 2010, 2016 (Winners – Captain)
  • ICC Test Championship Mace (as captain)
  • Represented India in 90 Tests, 350 ODIs, and 98 T20Is.

Domestic/Franchise Cricket (Selected):

  • Indian Premier League (IPL) Titles: 5 (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) with Chennai Super Kings (Captain)
  • Champions League T20: 2 (2010, 2014) with Chennai Super Kings (Captain)
  • Represented Jharkhand in domestic Indian cricket.

Individual Awards & Recognitions (Selected):

  • Padma Bhushan (India’s third-highest civilian award, 2018)
  • Padma Shri (India’s fourth-highest civilian award, 2009)
  • Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna award (India’s highest sporting honor, 2007–08)
  • ICC ODI Player of the Year (2008, 2009)
  • ICC Spirit of Cricket Award (2011)
  • ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year (multiple selections)
  • ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Decade
  • ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Decade
  • ESPN Cricinfo’s ODI Team of the Decade
  • ICC Hall of Fame (2025 inductee)

Other Ventures:

  • Co-owner of Chennaiyin FC (football club in Indian Super League).
  • Co-owner of Ranchi Rays (hockey club in Hockey India League).
  • Co-owner of Mahi Racing Team India (Supersport World Championship).
  • Brand ambassador for numerous companies.
  • His life story was adapted into the successful Bollywood biopic “M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story” (2016).