MS Dhoni recently celebrated his 45th birthday. The legendary India captain retired from international cricket long ago but continues to be part of the Chennai Super Kings side in the IPL. However, in the 2026 edition, Dhoni did not play a single match. He was recently spotted at the India vs England third T20I at Trent Bridge, where he was seen interacting with fans through gestures. “I’m old now. My beard has gone grey, and I can barely walk,” he seemed to be saying in jest, as decoded by a social media handle.

MS Dhoni: “I’m now. My has gone grey, and I can barley walk.”

MS Dhoni had everyone emotional with his honest words while attending the 3rd T20I between India and England on his birthday. pic.twitter.com/TofsHWUCMy

— Jara (@JARA_Memer) July 7, 2026

Dhoni has one of the most inspiring journeys in sports history. From working as a ticket collector at a railway station, he transformed into India’s biggest trophy collector, leading the team to the ICC T20 World Cup 2007, ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, and ICC Champions Trophy 2013 titles as captain. He made his international debut in 2004 and carved out a reputation as a ferocious hitter of the cricket ball before evolving into a finisher who guided his team to victories with calculated aggression and exceptional tactical acumen.

With 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals, and 538 appearances across formats for India, Dhoni is not only one of the greatest cricketers the game has ever seen but also a revolutionary who redefined the role of a wicketkeeper-batter and transformed India’s approach to limited-overs cricket.

In 350 One-Day Internationals (ODIs), Dhoni amassed 10,773 runs at an exceptional average of 50.57, including 10 centuries and 73 half-centuries, with a career-best score of an unbeaten 183. He remains India’s sixth-highest run-scorer in ODIs, with Sachin Tendulkar leading the list with 18,426 runs.

What makes Dhoni’s record truly remarkable is that he accumulated more than 10,000 ODI runs while batting predominantly in the middle order, maintaining an average above 50 despite often arriving at the crease under pressure and with fewer overs at his disposal.

He led India in 200 ODIs, winning 110 and losing 74. Five games were tied, while 11 produced no result. He has a winning percentage of 55.

Across 98 T20 Internationals, Dhoni scored 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60 and a strike rate of 126.13, registering two half-centuries with a highest score of 56.

While his batting numbers are impressive, it was his leadership that truly defined his T20I legacy. As captain, he guided India to its maiden ICC T20 World Cup title in 2007, laying the foundation for a new era in Indian cricket.

Affectionately known as ‘Mahi’, he led India in 72 T20Is, winning 41 matches and losing 28, with one tie and two no-results, finishing with a win percentage of 56.94.

Coming to his long-format career, Dhoni played 90 Tests, scoring 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09. He scored six centuries and 33 half-centuries, with a best score of 224. He is India’s 14th-highest run-scorer in Tests.

As Test captain, Dhoni led India in 60 matches, winning 27, losing 18, and drawing 15, finishing with a win percentage of 45.00. His tenure marked a defining phase in India’s Test cricket journey, as he guided the team to the No. 1 spot in the ICC Test rankings for the first time.

He also etched his name in history as the only Indian captain to whitewash Australia in a Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, achieving emphatic 4-0 victories in both the 2010-11 and 2012-13 home series.

With ANI inputs

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