On Friday (July 7), Mahendra Singh Dhoni, called the greatest finisher in cricket history, turns 42. He is without a doubt one of the best captains for Team India and the Chennai Super Kings. His intelligence behind the stumps and decision-making is exceptional.
MS Dhoni is the first captain in cricket history to have won all three ICC white-ball tournaments: the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup, and the Champions Trophy. He also oversaw India’s ascension to the world’s top-ranked Test squad for the first time in 2010, and then again a year later in 2011, a memorable year for Indians.
The captain amazing, or Thala as he is known among Chennai supporters, has led the CSK club to several titles in the Indian Premier League as well as the now-defunct Champions League T20. He has also led India to Asian Cup victories. Here are some of the major awards he won as captain:
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List of MS Dhoni Trophies As Captain
1. 2007 T20 World Cup: The flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter, who wore long hair at the start of his international career, made his debut as captain of the shortest format World Cup. His decision to bowl Joginder Sharma in the final over against Pakistan is still fresh in the minds of many supporters. This was his first major title for India.
2. 2010 IPL: After failing to win the title in the initial edition in 2008, Dhoni and co won the crown two years later, the first of many in the cash-rich league. In the first of many El Clasico confrontations, CSK defeated Sachin Tendulkar’s Mumbai Indians.
3. 2010 Test Mace: Dhoni was in charge as India won the Test series for the first time in their history. Following a fantastic performance in the cycle beginning in May 2009, India shattered Australia’s dominance to win their first Test.
4. 2010 Asia Cup: Dhoni won his first of two Asia Cup championships when India defeated Sri Lanka in the final at Dambulla’s Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium. This was India’s fifth title in the continental competition.
5. Champions League T20, 2010: Dhoni and company won the first of two now-defunct CL T20 tournaments, which featured teams from various T20 leagues throughout the world. In the final, CSK defeated South African Warriors.
6. 2011 ODI World Cup: The skipper’s historic six is still imprinted in the thoughts of cricket fans all over the world. MS Dhoni led India to their second World Cup victory, ending a 28-year wait for the ODI World Cup, when they defeated Sri Lanka in the final at the Wankhede Stadium, where a special memorial commemorates the victory and marks the spot where the six landed.
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7. 2011 Test Mace: Dhoni’s Team India maintained their supremacy at the top of the Test rankings and won the country’s second mace in a year. In an unforgettable year for the captain, India won numerous bilateral series.
8. 2011 IPL: Dhoni’s CSK won their second IPL title, capping off a successful year for the captain. This was the first time a team in the cash-rich league won back-to-back championships. This was Dhoni’s third victory as CSK captain, following the IPL triumph in 2010 and the CL T20 trophy in 2010.
9. 2013 Champions Trophy: This was Dhoni’s first Champions Trophy and India’s second, as the Men in Blue defeated hosts England in the final, with skipper MSD opting to use Ishant Sharma in the 18th over, which proved pivotal as the pacer picked up two crucial wickets and India won by 5 runs.
10. 2014 Champions League T20: MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings to their second CL T20 triumph, defeating rival IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders in the final at M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, where Suresh Raina, chinna thala, struck a century.
11. 2016 Asia Cup: Dhoni earned his 11th major championship as captain, as well as the second Asia Cup victory nearly six years after the first, as India defeated Bangladesh in the final, with the skipper providing an unbeaten 20 off six balls.
12. 2018 IPL: On CSK’s return to the league after a two-year hiatus, Dhoni guided the team to their third IPL title, defeating southern rivals Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final, where Shane Watson struck a century to secure an 8-wicket victory.
13. 2021 IPL: After finishing last in the previous edition, Dhoni’s men bounced back in style by dominating the season and defeating Kolkata Knight Riders in the final to win their fourth IPL title.
14. 2023 IPL: At the age of 41, Dhoni mastered yet another IPL success earlier this year, when CSK overcame defending champions Gujarat Titans in the final to claim their record-equaling fifth IPL trophy.
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