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Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the foundation of the start of the most prosperous period in Indian cricket. The legendary wicketkeeper-batter, who led India to three separate ICC trophies, was born today, on June 7, 1981, in Ranchi, and at the age of 41, is still going strong for Chennai Super Kings, his Indian Premier League (IPL) side since 2008.
Fondly called 'Mahi bhai' by his peers in the game, Dhoni was known for his calm demeanour on the pitch in the face of adversity, and his ability to guide his teams to victory in the toughest of situations. Today, we look at the life and times of the legendary world-cup-winning captain.
The childhood of MS Dhoni
1. MS Dhoni was born in Ranchi. It was in Ranchi that Dhoni spent his childhood and played cricket for the first time.
2. Dhoni's family hails from Uttarakhand. His father Pan Singh Dhoni worked as a pump operator in Micon.
4. He was the youngest in his family. Dhoni has an elder brother and sister.
3. MS Dhoni was the goalkeeper on the school football team before he became the wicketkeeper of his cricket team.
5. He came into cricket by chance. Once the wicketkeeper of the team did not come, so the sports teacher asked him to take the gloves. The rest is history.
The career of MS Dhoni
1. Dhoni made headlines through BCCI's TRDW i.e. Talent Research Development Wing program. Breaking the rules, he was selected for the program at the age of 21, although most selected cricketers were 19.
2. Dhoni first joined the Indian team in 2004. He made his ODI debut against Bangladesh. His first century came against Pakistan and his Test debut against Sri Lanka in 2005. Debuted in T20Is in 2006 against South Africa.
3. He became the India captain before the 2007 T20 World Cup. He then became the ODI captain in 2007 and the Test captain in 2008. Left the Test captaincy in 2014 and the ODI-T20 captaincy in 2017.
4. India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy under his captaincy. Dhoni is the first and only captain to win three ICC trophies.
5. Dhoni scored 4876 in Tests, 10773 in ODIs, and 1617 in T20s. He made 256 catches-38 stumpings in Tests behind the wicket, 321 catches-123 stumpings in ODIs, and 57 catches-34 stumping.
The various businesses of MS Dhoni
1. He has a shoe business called SEVEN, which launched in February 2016.
2. In 2019, Dhoni invested, and also became the brand ambassador in a company called CARS24.
3. In 2019, he entered the entertainment business, which produces web series and movies.
4. Dhoni has also started his own farmhouse in Ranchi. He reportedly grows organic vegetables and fruits in this plot.
5. He is also in the poultry and dairy business.
The hobbies of MS Dhoni
1. Dhoni has great respect for the army. He is a part of the Territorial Army and holds the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel. As part of the Parachute Regiment, he has made five training jumps, qualifying to become a paratrooper. He was also on duty in Jammu and Kashmir for two weeks in 2019.
2. His love for football is not a hidden fact. He has been seen in training sessions playing football and has also played with many celebrities. He is also close to the hierarchy of the Indian Super League (IS) team Chennaiyin, owned by Abhishek Bachchan and Vita Dani.
3. Dhoni is very fond of bikes. His team has been in motorsports racing under the name Mahi Racing Team. They have a separate garage which holds a variety of bikes.
4. Dhoni is also fond of cars. He is seen buying cars regularly. These range from vintage to luxury cars.
5. Dhoni is also fond of other sports. He plays badminton for hours.
