MS Dhoni birthday: 44 things you need to know about the former India captain as he celebrates his 44th birthday

MS Dhoni played for India from 2004-2019 and is still playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

MS Dhoni, who turned 44 on July 7, 2025, celebrated the occasion with his loved ones near him. He made his international cricket debut in 2004 and swiftly became one of the most beloved figures in Indian cricket.

Over a glorious 15-year career, he etched his name in history by becoming the only captain to win all three major ICC white-ball trophies — the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy 2013.

In tests, Dhoni played 90 matches, scoring 4876 runs with six centuries and a highest score of 224. His ODI record is even more impressive, with 10773 runs in 350 games at an average of 50.58, including ten centuries and a top score of 183*.

In T20Is, he amassed 1617 runs in 98 matches, registering two half-centuries. Dhoni retired from international cricket in 2020, with his last appearance being the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-final against New Zealand.

However, ‘Thala,’ as he is lovingly known, has continued to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He relinquished Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captaincy ahead of IPL 2024, but had ended his leadership reign by winning the IPL 2023. He has continued to wow the audience in IPL 2024 and 2025 as well, even returning as CSK captain after Ruturaj Gaikwad injured himself.

Today, as MS Dhoni celebrates his 44th birthday, we present you with 44 things you might not know about the former India captain

Check here:

1. MS Dhoni retired after an illustrious 16-year international career, having scored over 15,000 runs across formats.

2. Despite making his Ranji Trophy debut at just 18 in 2000, Dhoni worked as a ticket collector at Kharagpur railway station in West Bengal between 2001 and 2003.

3. He later joined Air India and represented the airline in the 2009 BCCI Corporate Trophy. Dhoni resigned from his post at Air India in 2013.

4. It was Sachin Tendulkar who recommended Dhoni as India’s captain after Rahul Dravid stepped down following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 disaster. Dhoni’s captaincy era began with a bang, winning the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa.

5. Dhoni remains the only captain to win all three ICC white-ball titles — ICC T20 World Cup 2007, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy 2013.

6. In his 90 test appearances, Dhoni amassed 4,876 runs, effected 256 catches and 38 stumpings. He shockingly retired from tests mid-series during the 2014-15 tour of Australia.

7. Across 350 ODIs, Dhoni scored 10,773 runs with a top score of 183*, alongside 321 catches and 123 stumpings behind the stumps.

8. In 98 T20Is, he scored 1,617 runs and claimed 57 catches and 34 stumpings — underlining his sharp glovework in the shortest format.

9. Dhoni hit nine centuries in ODIs, including two while batting at No. 7 — the most by any lower-order captain.

10. As a T20I captain, Dhoni won 41 out of 70 matches — the second-highest win tally for an Indian T20I skipper.

11. Under Dhoni’s leadership, India reached No. 1 in the test ranking for the first time in 2009. He also became India’s most successful test captain with 27 wins, surpassing Sourav Ganguly’s 21 wins. Later, Virat Kohli broke the record with 40 wins.

12. Between 2006 and 2010, Dhoni spent 656 days as the top-ranked ODI batsman and was named ICC ODI Player of the Year in both 2008 and 2009.

13. He was selected in the ICC ODI Team of the Year for eight years (2006, 2008–2014) and made the ICC test Team of the Year in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. Dhoni also received the ICC Spirit of Cricket award in 2011.

14. MS Dhoni holds the record for highest ODI score by a wicket-keeper batter – 183, which he scored against Sri Lanka in 2005.

15. No player has featured in more IPL finals than Dhoni. He appeared in nine, winning the title with CSK in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023

16. MS Dhoni is the only player to lead an IPL franchise — CSK — to over 100 victories.

17. Dhoni once took off his gloves to bowl in a Lord’s test in 2011 — before lunch — which didn’t sit well with Kapil Dev.

18. Dhoni has one international wicket to his name, picked up against the West Indies in the ICC Champions Trophy 2009.

19. In 2017, he passed the limited-overs captaincy baton to Virat Kohli. The two share a strong bond on and off the field.

20. Dhoni is the only captain to have led a team in the first six editions of the ICC T20 World Cup from 2007 to 2016.

21. Dhoni’s 224 against Australia in 2013 remains the highest test score by an Indian wicket-keeper and the only double hundred by one.

22. Though not a fan of the DRS initially, Dhoni became synonymous with it. His accuracy with reviews led fans to nickname it the ‘Dhoni Review System.’

23. MS Dhoni’s maiden international century came on April 5, 2005 — a blistering 148 against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam.

24. His last competitive match was India’s 2019 World Cup semi-final loss to New Zealand on July 9, 2019.

25. MS Dhoni narrowly missed out on selection for the 2000 U-19 World Cup, with Ajay Ratra being picked as the wicket-keeper instead.

26. Dhoni once famously said, “I love my country; I tell my wife she ranks third — after my country and my parents.”

27. *MS Dhoni: The Untold Story*, a biopic based on Dhoni’s life story starring Sushant Singh Rajput, was released on September 30, 2016.

28. Dhoni took up golf post-retirement and participated in his first golf tournament in the USA.

29. Dhoni wore jersey No. 7 — a number close to his heart as he was born on July 7, the 7th day of the 7th month.

30. His long hairstyle in his early career was inspired by his favourite actor John Abraham.

31. In school, Dhoni represented his district and club in football and badminton, both before he fully switched to cricket.

32. It was during Class 10 that Dhoni decided to focus entirely on cricket.

33. A huge WWE enthusiast, Dhoni has named Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart and Hulk Hogan as his all-time favourite wrestlers.

34. A big fan of old Hindi songs, his favourite singer is Kishore Kumar — a love he shares with Virender Sehwag, who often hummed Kishore’s songs while batting.

35. Dhoni holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army’s Parachute Regiment. His gloves during the 2019 World Cup sported a military insignia.

36. Dhoni was the costliest player at the inaugural IPL auction in 2008, bought by CSK for $1.5 million.

37. On his ODI debut against Bangladesh, Dhoni was run out for a duck.

38. Dhoni’s iconic “helicopter shot” was taught to him by childhood friend and fellow Jharkhand cricketer Santosh Lal.

39. A devoted animal lover, Dhoni has several dogs at his Ranchi home. He once said they treat him the same, win or lose — and that’s what he cherishes most.

40. On May 7, 2025, Dhoni became the first wicket‑keeper in IPL history to reach 200 dismissals (153 catches + 47 stumpings).

41. He holds the record for the second fastest test century by an Indian wicket‑keeper, reaching a hundred off just 93 balls against Pakistan in 2006.

42. In June 2025, Dhoni was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, recognizing his legendary international career.

43. He was the first wicket‑keeper in IPL to score over 5,000 runs, and has led CSK to ten IPL finals, winning five titles.

44. Dhoni became a qualified paratrooper in 2015, completing five jumps with India’s Parachute Regiment after military training.

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