Former India skipper MS Dhoni celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) headquarters, with a video of the intimate gathering quickly going viral on social media. Known for his grounded lifestyle, Dhoni marked the occasion with a small group of JSCA staff in Ranchi, including JSCA president Ajay Nath Shahdeo.
Looking as fit as ever, MS Dhoni was seen cutting his birthday cake in what appeared to be the JSCA office, as those around him sang the birthday song. “Thank you, guys,” said the two-time World Cup-winning captain while slicing the cake and sharing it with everyone. Dhoni was dressed casually in a black sleeveless t-shirt.
Meanwhile, in Vijayawada, grand celebrations had kicked off a day earlier. A video that surfaced online on Saturday (July 6) showed a massive crowd gathered with banners of MS Dhoni in both Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and South Indian traditional attire. Owing to his long-standing association with CSK since 2008 and five IPL titles with the franchise, Dhoni commands a massive fan base across southern India.
MS Dhoni’s illustrious international career:
Debuting in 2004, MS Dhoni rose to become one of India’s greatest cricketing legends. Under his leadership, India clinched the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. As ODI captain, he led India in 200 matches, winning 110, losing 74, with 5 ties and 11 no-results.
Across formats, MS Dhoni featured in 538 matches, amassing 17,266 international runs and effecting 829 dismissals. In ODIs, he scored 10,773 runs at an average of 50.57, including 10 centuries and 73 half-centuries.
In T20Is, he played 98 matches, scoring 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60 and a strike rate of 126.13, with two fifties and a top score of 56. He captained India in 72 T20Is, winning 41, losing 28, with one tie and two no-results.
In Tests, MS Dhoni represented India in 90 matches, scoring 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09, with six centuries and 33 fifties. His highest score in the format is 224. He is India’s 14th-highest Test run-scorer and led the team in 60 Tests, winning 27, losing 18, and drawing 15.