Mahendra Singh Dhoni, one of the most celebrated cricketers in the world, turned 43 on Sunday. Marking the special occasion, his wife Sakshi Dhoni shared a heartwarming video from the cake-cutting ceremony.
The video, which has since gone viral, shows Dhoni cutting his birthday cake. After sharing a piece of cake with Sakshi, she playfully touched his feet, seeking his blessings, much to the delight of fans.
Dhoni, known for his calm demeanor and exceptional leadership, announced his retirement from all forms of cricket on August 15, 2020, ending a remarkable career that saw him lead India to numerous victories. Under his captaincy, India won the top prize in all formats, including the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, the 50-over World Cup in 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.
Career Highlights
Dhoni’s journey from a ticket collector at a railway station to one of India’s most successful cricket captains is truly inspiring. Making his international debut in 2004, Dhoni quickly gained fame for his aggressive batting style. Over time, he evolved into a strategic finisher known for his calculated aggression and tactical acumen.
T20 Internationals
- Matches Played: 98
- Runs Scored: 1,617
- Average: 37.60
- Strike Rate: 126.13
- Half-Centuries: 2
- Best Score: 56
Test Matches
- Matches Played: 90
- Runs Scored: 4,876
- Average: 38.09
- Centuries: 6
- Half-Centuries: 33
- Best Score: 224
- Captaincy Record: Led India in 60 Tests, winning 27, losing 18, and drawing 15, with a win percentage of 45.00
Dhoni led India to the top of the ICC Test rankings and is the only Indian skipper to whitewash Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, achieving this feat in both the 2010-11 and 2012-13 series.
T20 Internationals as Captain
- Matches Led: 72
- Wins: 41
- Losses: 28
- Tied: 1
- No Results: 2
- Win Percentage: 56.94
IPL Achievements
Dhoni’s leadership extended to the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he guided Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023) and two Champions League T20 titles (2010 and 2014).
IPL Career
- Matches Played: 264
- Runs Scored: 5,243
- Average: 39.13
- Half-Centuries: 24
- Catches: 152
- Stumpings: 42
Birthday Celebrations
The midnight birthday celebration saw a gathering of close friends and family, with Bollywood superstar Salman Khan also attending. Salman shared a candid picture from the event, captioning it, “Happy Birthday Kaptaan Sahab! @msdhoni.”
As Dhoni celebrated his special day, fans and friends cherished the memories of his stellar career and looked forward to many more joyous occasions.
