MS Dhoni is one of the most successful captains in the history of Indian cricket. He led India to glory in all major ICC tournaments and transformed the fortunes of the national cricket team. Beyond just his success as captain, Dhoni is also widely respected for his wicketkeeping skills and ability to finish matches.
In this MS Dhoni biography, we take a closer look at MS Dhoni’s journey from humble beginnings to cricket superstardom. We explore his record-breaking international career, leadership qualities, earnings, and family life off the field.
MS Dhoni Biography Data:
- Full Name: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
- Date of Birth: 7 July 1981
- Place of Birth: Ranchi, Bihar (now Jharkhand), India
- Height: 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
- Batting Style: Right-handed
- Role: Wicketkeeper-batsman & Captain
- ODI Debut: 2004 vs Bangladesh
- Test Debut: 2005 vs Sri Lanka
- International Retirement: 2020
- ODI Runs/Average: 10,773 runs, 50.57 average
- Test Runs/Average: 4,876 runs, 38.09 average
- T20I Runs/Average: 1617 runs, 37.60 average
- IPL Team: Chennai Super Kings (2008-present)
- Major Teams Captained: India (2007-2017), CSK, Rising Pune Supergiants
- Captaincy Records: Most wins as Indian captain (Test, ODI, T20I)
- ICC Tournament Wins: 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 Cricket World Cup, 2013 Champions Trophy
- Individual Awards and Honours: ICC ODI Player of the Year, Padma Bhushan, Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
- Wife: Sakshi Dhoni (married 2010)
- Net Worth: Estimated $170 million
Early Life and Domestic Career
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was born on 7 July 1981 in Ranchi, Bihar (now Jharkhand). As a young boy, he loved sports and excelled at badminton and football. However, Dhoni eventually pursued cricket and impressed as a hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman.
Dhoni made his domestic cricket debut for Bihar in 1999. He started gaining recognition with his explosive batting style and consistency. This earned him a spot on the India A team for tours in 2003/04.
After a series of strong domestic and A team performances, Dhoni made his ODI debut for India in 2004 against Bangladesh. With his long hair and aggressive batting, he immediately captured public imagination.
Rise Through International Cricket Ranks
In his fifth ODI match, Dhoni smashed 148 off 123 balls against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam. It announced his arrival on the world stage. He went on to win the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009.
Dhoni’s calm and tactical leadership also received plaudits. He was appointed skipper of India’s T20I team in 2007. Under his captaincy, India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa that same year.
The wicketkeeper batsman eventually took over the ODI captaincy in 2007 and the Test captaincy in 2008. As captain across formats, Dhoni led India to greater heights over the next decade.
World Cup Glory and Test Success
The pinnacle of Dhoni’s captaincy career came when he led India to the World Cup title on home soil in 2011. His level-headed leadership inspired the team through the tournament.
In Test cricket, Dhoni guided India to the number one ranking for the first time with series wins abroad. He is India’s most successful Test captain with 27 wins.
Dhoni also led the team to Champions Trophy triumphs in 2013 and Asia Cup titles in 2010 and 2016. His ability to get the best out of the players earned immense respect.
Batting Style and Wicketkeeping Skills
As a powerful right-handed batsman, Dhoni redefined the art of finishing ODI chases. His explosive style and ice-cool nerves made him one of the best finishers in limited overs cricket.
He has batted up and down the order and proven effective in any situation. Dhoni is the only captain to score over 10,000 ODI runs.
Behind the stumps, Dhoni’s wicketkeeping skills are top-notch. His lightning fast hands make him excellent at stumpings. Dhoni has the most international stumpings by any wicketkeeper.
ODI Retirement and Legacy
In August 2020, Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket. He played 350 ODIs scoring 10,773 runs with 10 centuries and 73 fifties. In T20Is, he scored 1617 runs in 98 matches.
Dhoni retired as India’s most successful captain with major trophies across all formats. He changed the face of Indian cricket through his aggressive leadership and match-winning abilities.
Net Worth and Earnings
According to Forbes, MS Dhoni earned $31 million in 2019 as the 9th highest-paid athlete in the world. His net worth is estimated to be roughly $170 million.
Dhoni’s earnings come from his India team salary, IPL contract with Chennai Super Kings, brand endorsements and various business investments. He is one of the richest cricketers in the world.
Top brands like Reebok, GoDaddy, Mastercard and Gulf Oil sponsor Dhoni. He also owns a fashion retail brand SEVEN. Plus, Dhoni has investments in multiple startups and owns several luxury properties.
Personal Life and Family
Dhoni married his childhood friend Sakshi Singh Rawat in 2010. They have a daughter named Ziva (born in 2015) together. The family currently resides in Dhoni’s sprawling farmhouse on the outskirts of Ranchi.
Known to be a private person, Dhoni balances his cricket career by spending down time with family. He is an avid bike lover and enjoys farming away from the limelight.
Post-Retirement and Future Goals
Since retiring from international cricket, Dhoni continues to captain Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Under his leadership, CSK returned to glory by winning the IPL title in 2021.
Dhoni has expressed his desire to play IPL cricket for at least 2-3 more years. He was also appointed as a mentor for India’s T20 World Cup campaign in 2021.
The former captain has also gotten involved in film production with a documentary about his cricketing journey releasing in 2022. Dhoni’s impact on Indian cricket will be remembered forever.
Summary
MS Dhoni is arguably India’s greatest ever captain and wicketkeeper-batsman. After humble beginnings in Ranchi, he rose to stardom through domestic cricket. His explosive batting redefined ODI run chases.
As captain, Dhoni led India to World Cup, Champions Trophy and Test glory. With numerous records and accolades, his impact has been immense. Off the field, Dhoni has accumulated huge wealth through cricket earnings and endorsements. He now enjoys family life while mentoring younger players.