Mahendra Singh Dhoni born on 7th July, 1981 at Ranchi, Bihar (presently Jharkhand), is an Indian professional cricketer. He was the captain of the Indian National Team in limited over formats from 2007 to 2017 and in Test Cricket from 2008 to 2014. He plays as a right-handed wicket-keeper-batsman and also the current captain of Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League.
Early life and Childhood
MS Dhoni was born on 7th July, 1981 in a Hindu Rajput family. MS Dhoni’s father Pan Singh worked in junior management position in MECON and his mother Devaki Devi is a housewife.
MS Dhoni studied at DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamali, Ranchi where he excelled in sports such as badminton and football and was selected at district and club level competitions.
When he was in school football team he was a goalkeeper. Once Dhoni’s football coach sent him to take the position of wicket keeper, he impressed everyone by his wicket keeping skills and thereafter Dhoni secured a permanent spot as a wicket-keeper at Commando Cricket Club Team for three years during the period of 1995-98.
MS Dhoni keep doing his wicket-keeping job well and finally selected for Vinoo Mankad Trophy Under16 Championship during the period of 1997-98.
MS Dhoni also worked as a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) at Kharagpur Railway Station which is under South-Eastern Railway in Midnapur District in West Bengal during 2001-2003. Dhoni’s colleagues remember him as a honest, straightforward employee with little mischievous by nature.
MS Dhoni’s Personal Life
Before marrying Sakshi Singh Rawat, Dhoni was in love with Priyanka Jhaa, who died in an accident in 2002 when Dhoni was trying his best to be selected in the Indian Cricket Team. Dhoni married Sakshi singh Rawat, who was his school friend on 4th July, 2010. On Feb, 6, 2015, the couple gave birth to a baby girl named Ziva and at the time Dhoni was in Australia and the Cricket World Cup 2015 was a week later. He didn’t travel back and quoted ‘I am on national duty, other things can wait’.
MS Dhoni’s Professional Life
- Till 1998, Dhoni played for the school team and club cricket.
- In 1998, Dhoni was selected for the Central Coal Field Limited (CCL) Team, where he was gifted Rs.50 for every six by Deval Sahay who selected him for CCL team.
- Deval Sahay was impressed by Dhoni’s performance and pushed for his selection in Bihar Team.
- In 1999-2000, when he was 18 he got selected in the Senior Bihar Ranji Team.
- Later, he was selected for East Zone Under-19 squad for the CK Naydu trophy. Dhoni finished last in the tournament as East Zone lost all the matches.
- During 2002-2003 Dhoni got recognition for his lower-order contribution as well as hard-hitting batting style while he was playing in the Jharkhand team for the Ranji Trophy and Deodar Trophy.
- In the Duleep Trophy Finals, Dhoni was picked over International Cricket Deep Dasgupta to represent the East Zone.
- Dhoni was selected for India A team for the tournament of Zimbabwe and Kenya.
- In 2004-05, Dhoni was selected in ODI team for Bangladesh tour.
- On 20th April, 2006, Dhoni was ranked as the number one batsman in ICC ODI rankings sidelining Ricky Pointing.
- Due to the poor performance in World Cup 2007, Dhoni’s house was vandalised by acitivists of JMM.
- Dhoni was named as the vice-captain of the ODI team for the series against South Africa and England.
- In September 2007, Dhoni was elected as a captain of the Indian team for the World 20-20 matches.
- On 30th September 2009, Dhoni took his first wicket in International cricket against West Indies in the Championship Trophy.
- In 2009 Dhoni topped the batsman ranking.
- In 2011, Dhoni bagged the Man of the match for his outstanding position in 2011 Cricket World Cup and led India to the finals with a victory over Australia in the quarter-finals and Pakistan in the finals.
- In 2013, India won ICC Championship Trophy and Dhoni became the first and the only captain in the history of cricket to claim all the ICC Trophies.
- In 2014, India won the ODI series in England by 3-1 and in India by 2-1 against West Indies.
- During the 2015 World Cup, Dhoni became the first Indian captain to win all the group stage matches in such a tournament.
- In 2017, Dhoni stepped down as a captain of the Indian team in all the limited over formats.
- In the 2014-15 season Dhoni announced his retirement from the test format and played his last test series against Australia.
- In his last test match, Dhoni effected nine dismissals and broke Kumar Sangakkara record for stumpings with 154 in all the formats.
- In the 2019 world cup, Dhoni played well against South Africa. Dhoni scored a half century in the second inning but was run out at a very crucial stage.
- In the first season of IPL, Dhoni was contracted by Chennai Super Kings for US$1.5 million and became the most expensive player in the first season auction.
- In 2016, Chennai Super Kings was suspended for 2 years and Dhoni was contracted to lead the team. In 2018, Chennai Super Kings was uplifted and returned to play the IPL under the leadership of Dhoni.
- In 2019, CSK emerged to be one of the strongest team in the season under the captaincy of Dhoni.
Awards Presented to M.S. Dhoni
- In 2018: Padma Bhushan
- In 2009: Padma Sri
- In 2007-08: Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
- In 2008-09: ICC-ODI player of the year
- In 2006, 2008 to 2014: ICC World ODI XI
- In 2009, 2010 and 2013: ICC World Test XI
- In 2011: Castrol Indian Cricketer of the year.
- In 2006: MTV Youth Icon of the year.
- In 2013: LG People’s Choice Award
- In 2011: received honorary doctorate from De Montfort University.
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