MS Dhoni facts for kids

Quick facts for kids MS Dhoni
Dhoni in 2023
Personal details
Born	(1981-07-07) 7 July 1981 (age 44) Ranchi, Bihar (present-day Jharkhand), India
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Spouse	Sakshi Dhoni ​ (m. 2010)​
Awards	Padma Bhushan (2018) Padma Shri (2009) Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award (2008)
Nicknames	Mahi, Thala, Captain Cool
Military service
Allegiance	India
Branch/service	Indian Army
Years of service	2011–present
Rank	Lieutenant colonel (Hon.)
Unit	Territorial Army Parachute Regiment
Personal information Full name Mahendra Singh Dhoni Batting Right-handed Bowling Right-arm medium Role Wicket-keeper-batter International information National side India (2004–2019) Test debut (cap 251) 2 December 2005 v Sri Lanka Last Test 26 December 2014 v Australia ODI debut (cap 158) 23 December 2004 v Bangladesh Last ODI 9 July 2019 v New Zealand ODI shirt no. 7 T20I debut (cap 2) 1 December 2006 v South Africa Last T20I 27 February 2019 v Australia T20I shirt no. 7 Domestic team information Years Team 1999–2004 Bihar 2004–2017 Jharkhand 2008–2015, 2018–present Chennai Super Kings (squad no. 7) 2016–2017 Rising Pune Supergiant (squad no. 7) Career statistics Competition Test ODI T20I FC Matches 90 350 98 131 Runs scored 4,876 10,773 1,617 7,038 Batting average 38.09 50.57 37.60 36.84 100s/50s 6/33 10/73 0/2 9/47 Top score 224 183* 56 224* Balls bowled 96 36 – 126 Wickets 0 1 – 0 Bowling average – 31.00 – – 5 wickets in innings – 0 – – 10 wickets in match – 0 – – Best bowling – 1/14 – – Catches/stumpings 256/38 321/123 57/34 364/57 Medal record Men's cricket Representing  India Cricket World Cup Winner 2011 India-Sri Lanka-Bangladesh T20 World Cup Winner 2007 South Africa Runner-up 2014 Bangladesh ICC Champions Trophy Winner 2013 England and Wales Runner-up 2017 England and Wales Asia Cup Winner 2010 Sri Lanka Winner 2016 Bangladesh Winner 2018 UAE Runner-up 2008 Pakistan Source: ESPNcricinfo, 30 March 2025

Mahendra Singh Dhoni (born 7 July 1981) is a famous Indian cricketer. He is known as a right-handed batter and a wicket-keeper. Many people think he is one of the best wicket-keeper batters and captains ever. He is also considered one of the greatest players in ODI cricket.

Dhoni played for the Indian cricket team. He was the captain for limited overs games from 2007 to 2017. He also led the team in test cricket from 2008 to 2014. Dhoni has captained India in more international matches than anyone else. He is also India's most successful captain.

Under his leadership, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He is the only captain to win these three big tournaments. He also led India to win the Asia Cup in 2010, 2016, and was part of the winning team in 2018.

Dhoni was born in Ranchi. He started playing first class cricket for Bihar in 1999. He played his first international ODI match for India on 23 December 2004 against Bangladesh. A year later, he played his first Test match against Sri Lanka.

In 2007, he became the captain of the ODI team. By 2008, he was leading India in all types of cricket. Dhoni stopped playing Test cricket in 2014. He continued to play limited overs cricket until 2019. He scored over 17,266 runs in international cricket. This includes more than 10,000 runs in ODIs, with a great average of over 50.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), Dhoni plays for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He has led them to the final ten times. CSK has won the IPL title five times under his captaincy (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023). This makes CSK the joint most successful team with Rohit Sharma's team. He also led CSK to win two Champions League T20 titles in 2010 and 2014. Dhoni is one of the few batters to score over 5,000 runs in the IPL. He is also the first wicket-keeper to do so.

In 2008, the Government of India gave Dhoni India's highest sports award, the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. He received the Padma Shri in 2009 and the Padma Bhushan in 2018. These are high civilian awards. In 2011, the Indian Army gave Dhoni an honorary rank of Lieutenant colonel in the Parachute Regiment of the Indian Territorial Army. In June 2025, he was added to the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Dhoni's Early Life

Dhoni was born on 7 July 1981 in Ranchi, which was then in Bihar (now in Jharkhand). He comes from a Hindu Rajput family. His parents, Pan Singh and Devaki Devi, were from Lwali village. He is the youngest of three children. His family spells their last name "Dhauni." However, "Dhoni" became common due to a spelling mistake on his school papers.

Dhoni went to DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir. He first played football as a goalkeeper. His coach, Keshav Banerjee, suggested he try cricket instead. From 2001 to 2003, Dhoni worked as a Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) at Kharagpur for the Indian Railways.

Starting His Cricket Career

Dhoni played as a wicket-keeper for Commando cricket club from 1995 to 1998. He then played for Central Coal Fields Limited (CCL) in 1998. At CCL, he batted higher up the order. He helped his team move up to a higher division. Because of his good club cricket performance, he was chosen for the 1997/98 Vinoo Mankad Trophy under-16 championship.

In the 1998–99 Cooch Behar Trophy, Dhoni played for the Bihar U-19 team. He scored 176 runs in 5 matches. In the 1999–2000 Cooch Behar Trophy, the Bihar U-19 team reached the finals. Dhoni scored 84 runs, but his team lost. In that tournament, he scored 488 runs in nine matches. He also took 17 catches and made seven stumpings.

Dhoni made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar in the 1999–2000 season. He was eighteen years old and scored 68 runs. He finished that season with 283 runs in 5 matches. Dhoni scored his first century in first-class cricket for Bihar against Bengal in the 2000–01 Ranji Trophy season.

He later played for Jharkhand in the 2002–03 Ranji Trophy. He also played for East Zone in the Deodhar Trophy. Here, he became known for his strong batting style. In the 2003/04 season, Dhoni scored a century (128*) against Assam. He was part of the East Zone team that won the Deodhar Trophy. He scored 244 runs in four matches during that tournament.

In 2004, Dhoni was chosen for the India A team to tour Zimbabwe and Kenya. He performed very well, especially against Pakistan A. He helped India A chase down a target of 223 runs with a half-century. He scored 362 runs in six innings, with two centuries in a row.

International Cricket Journey

Starting Out and Early Success

In the early 2000s, India used Rahul Dravid as a wicket-keeper. They also tried other players like Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik. Because Dhoni played so well for India A, he was chosen for the ODI team in December 2004. This was for a tour against Bangladesh. Dhoni played his first match but was run out for a duck (zero runs).

He was then picked for the ODI series against Pakistan. In his fifth ODI match, Dhoni scored 148 runs off 123 balls. This was the highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper at that time. In October–November 2005, Dhoni played in a series against Sri Lanka. He was moved up to bat at No. 3 in the third ODI. He scored an amazing 183 runs not out off 145 balls, winning the game for India. This innings broke his own record for the highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper. Dhoni was named the Man of the series for scoring 346 runs.

Dhoni keeping wickets in a test match

Dhoni became a regular player for India after the series against South Africa in November 2005. In December 2005, he played his first Test match against Sri Lanka. He scored 30 runs in that match. Dhoni scored his first half-century in the second Test, helping India win. He also scored his first Test century against Pakistan in February 2006.

Leading India to Victory

In September 2007, Dhoni was made captain of the Indian team for the first-ever World Twenty20 tournament. He led India to win the tournament by beating Pakistan in the final. After this, Dhoni became the captain of the Indian cricket team in all formats of the game.

On 2 September 2007, Dhoni matched Adam Gilchrist's record. He made six dismissals in one ODI match against England. In 2009, Dhoni had a fantastic year in ODIs. He scored 1198 runs in 24 innings, with an average of 70.43. He was ranked as the top ODI batsman for several months. He was also named captain and wicket-keeper of the ICC ODI Team of the Year.

Wicket-keeping kit and bat used by Dhoni during the 2011 Cricket World Cup on display at the Blades of Glory Cricket Museum

Dhoni led the Indian team in the 2011 Cricket World Cup, which India co-hosted. India won its second ODI World Cup by beating Sri Lanka in the final. Dhoni was named man of the match for his unbeaten 91 runs. In 2013, Dhoni led India to win the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. This made him the first and only captain to win all three major ICC limited overs trophies. He was also named captain and wicketkeeper of the 'Team of the Tournament' by the ICC.

Dhoni batting against South Africa during a group stage match of 2013 ICC Champions Trophy

In November 2013, Dhoni became the second Indian batsman, after Sachin Tendulkar, to score over a thousand ODI runs against Australia. In 2014, Dhoni led India to the final of the 2014 ICC World Twenty20. India finished as runners-up after losing to Sri Lanka. He was again named captain and wicket-keeper of the 'Team of the Tournament' by the ICC.

Test Retirement and Later Years

Dhoni played his last Test series during India's tour of Australia in December 2014. After the third Test, he announced his retirement from Test cricket. In his last Test, he made nine dismissals (eight catches and one stumping). This broke Kumar Sangakkara's record for most stumpings in international cricket. It also set a record for most dismissals in a match by an Indian wicketkeeper.

During the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Dhoni became the first Indian captain to win all group stage matches. India reached the semi-finals but lost to Australia. Dhoni had a good series, scoring 237 runs at an average of 59.25.

Dhoni led India to win the 2016 Asia Cup, where India remained unbeaten. In January 2017, Dhoni stepped down as India's captain. In August 2017, he became the first wicket-keeper to make 100 stumpings in ODIs. This happened when he stumped Akila Dananjaya against Sri Lanka. In February 2018, he reached 400 dismissals in ODIs.

In 2018, he passed 10,000 ODI runs. He became the fourth Indian and twelfth overall player to do so. While captaining against Afghanistan in the 2018 Asia Cup, Dhoni became the first cricketer to lead India 200 times in ODIs. He also made the fastest stumping in cricket history, in 0.08 seconds, against Keemo Paul.

In April 2019, Dhoni was named in India's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. On 9 July 2019, Dhoni played his 350th and final ODI in the semi-final loss against New Zealand. Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on 15 August 2020. He had not played any international cricket since the 2019 World Cup semi-final.

Playing for Teams in India

Dhoni played for the Bihar state cricket team from 1999. Later, he played for Jharkhand. He also played for other teams like Rajasthan Cricket Association President's XI and East Zone. In February 2017, the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) made him captain of the Jharkhand team. On 25 February 2017, he scored his first century in domestic List-A cricket against Chhattisgarh. He led his team to the quarter-finals.

IPL Franchise Career

Dhoni with Chennai Super Kings in 2011

In 2008, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) bought Dhoni for US$1.5 million in the first IPL auction. He was the most expensive player bought that year. Dhoni scored 414 runs and led CSK to the finals in the first IPL season. Under his captaincy, CSK won the IPL in 2010 and 2011. They also won the Champions League Twenty20 in 2010 and 2014.

After CSK was suspended for two years, Dhoni played for Rising Pune Supergiants in 2016 and 2017. He scored 574 runs for them.

Dhoni came back to CSK for the 2018 season. He scored 455 runs and led his team to their third IPL title. Dhoni led CSK to win the title again in 2021. He stepped down as captain before the 2022 season, but took back the role during the season. Dhoni led the team to victory again in 2023. Under his captaincy, CSK has won five IPL titles and reached ten finals. This makes them the most successful IPL team. Dhoni is the first player to play 200 T20 matches for CSK. He also holds the record for most appearances in the IPL. Before the 2024 season, Dhoni gave the captaincy to Ruturaj Gaikwad. He played his 250th match for CSK on 14 April 2024.

Life Outside Cricket

Chief of Army Staff General V. K. Singh bestowing the honorary rank of Lieutenant colonel to Dhoni

Dhoni has an honorary rank of Lieutenant colonel in the Parachute Regiment of the Indian Territorial Army. The Indian Army gave him this rank in 2011 for his service to the nation as a cricketer. In 2015, he became a qualified paratrooper after completing five parachute jumps. In August 2019, he spent two weeks with the Territorial Army in Jammu and Kashmir. Dhoni once said he wanted to be a soldier, not a cricketer.

Dhoni is also involved in other businesses. He is a co-owner of Chennai-based football club Chennaiyin FC. He also co-owns the hockey club Ranchi Rays. In 2016, Dhoni launched his lifestyle brand called SEVEN. He is also its brand ambassador. In 2019, Dhoni invested in the vehicle re-seller CARS24 and became their brand ambassador. In October 2022, he invested in Shaka Harry, a plant-based protein company.

The No.7 jersey of the Indian cricket team made popular by Dhoni

In 2019, Dhoni Entertainment started working with Banijay Asia to make different types of content. Their first show was a documentary web series called Roar of The Lion. It was about Chennai Super Kings being banned from the IPL and their return. The company also produced a Tamil language romantic drama film called LGM, released on 28 July 2023. Dhoni also made a special appearance in Vijay's film G.O.A.T, which was released on 5 September 2024.

Dhoni is one of the most popular cricketers in the world. He promotes over 35 brands. As of 2022, Dhoni had over 75 million followers on social media. His brand value was estimated to be $80.3 million. Many compare his popularity to that of Sachin Tendulkar. The No.7 jersey, made famous by Dhoni, was retired by the BCCI in 2023 to honor him. Dhoni has a special bond with the city of Chennai. Fans there often call him 'Thala', which means leader in Tamil.

How Dhoni Plays Cricket

Dhoni in 2008

Dhoni is a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper. He has a unique batting style. He often hits the ball powerfully towards the Long-on, Long-off, and Midwicket regions. He is also good at playing pull shots and hook shots. Dhoni holds the bat firmly and hits the ball with great force. He is one of the fastest runners between the wickets. He is famous for his "helicopter shot" technique, which he learned from a childhood friend. As a batsman, he is known for finishing games well under pressure.

As a wicket-keeper, he is praised for his quick reflexes behind the stumps. He is also known for his unique captaincy style and friendly nature. Dhoni is famous for staying calm on the field, which earned him the nickname "Captain Cool."

Dhoni's Personal Life

Dhoni married Sakshi Singh Rawat on 4 July 2010 in Dehradun. They have a daughter named Ziva Dhoni, who was born on 6 February 2015. He lives in his farmhouse outside Ranchi. Dhoni loves cars and bikes and has a large collection of them.

Career Highlights

Dhoni scored 4876 runs in Test matches, averaging 38. He scored 10773 runs in ODIs, averaging over 50. In his international career, he scored 16 centuries and 108 half-centuries. He has one of the highest batting averages in ODI cricket. He scored over 7400 runs in 390 T20 matches. He took 634 catches and made 195 stumpings in his international career. This makes him one of the best wicket-keepers ever.

Captaincy Records

Dhoni became captain of the Indian team in 2007. He led the team in all formats from 2008. He captained India in 332 matches, including 200 ODIs. He is one of the most successful captains of all time.

Awards and Achievements

Team Wins

• T20 World Cup: 2007
• Asia Cup: 2010, 2016, 2018
• Cricket World Cup: 2011
• ICC Champions Trophy: 2013

Chennai Super Kings Wins

• Indian Premier League: 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023
• Champions League: 2010, 2014

Individual Awards

Dhoni receiving the Padma Bhushan award from then President of India Ram Nath Kovind in April 2018

• MTV Youth Icon of the Year: 2006
• ICC Men's ODI Team of the Year: 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 (captain in 2009, 2011–2014)
• ICC Men's Test Team of the Year: 2009, 2010, 2013 (captain in 2009, 2010)
• Major Dhyanchand Khel Ratna award: 2008
• ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year: 2008, 2009
• Padma Shri: 2009
• Honorary Lieutenant Colonel, Parachute Regiment of the Indian Territorial Army: 2011
• CNN-News18 Indian of the Year: 2011
• Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year: 2011
• ICC People's Choice Award: 2013
• Padma Bhushan: 2018
• ICC Men's ODI team of the decade: 2011–2020 (captain and wicket-keeper)
• ICC Men's T20I team of the decade: 2011–2020 (captain and wicket-keeper)
• ICC Spirit of cricket award of the decade: 2011–2020
• ICC Cricket Hall of Fame: 2025

Other Honors

• In 2011, De Montfort University gave Dhoni an honorary doctorate.
• In 2019, the Jharkhand Cricket Association named the south stand of the JSCA stadium after Dhoni.
• In 2023, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) honored him by dedicating seats (J282–J286) at the Wankhede Stadium. This is where he hit the winning shot in the 2011 World Cup final.

See also

In Spanish: Mahendra Singh Dhoni para niños