He came into the Indian cricket team as a hard-hitting batsman who could keep wickets. His ability to smash sixes at will and his reasonably clean work behind the stumps meant that India's prayers for its first all-rounder after the legendary Kapil Dev were answered.
There is no doubt that his 30th year will be a momentous one in many ways for Mahi. His new found status as a married man may swipe some of his fan-following amongst women, but Dhoni would need more than charm to ensure he stays on in the heart of cricket lovers as the team chases that elusive ODI World Cup dream once again in 2011.
Wish Dhoni on his 29th birthday!
Dhoni, who took over as captain for all formats of the game in 2008, will probably face the toughest test of his tenure next year when India co-host the 50-over World Cup for the third time since its inception. And expectations will be sky high as this is one captain who has conquered new territories ever since he took over - be it India's maiden test win in Sri Lanka or the memorable victory in the annual tri-nation tournament in Australia.
Having said so, if there is anyone on the Indian cricket firmament who can swing India's second win in the World Cup, it has to be Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Though his team lost the plot twice in succession at the T-20 World Cup, Dhoni remains the only captain besides Kapil Dev to have led India to victory in a global cricket tournament.
In the six years that "Mahi" has graced world cricket with his abundant talent and keen cricketing brain, the media has bestowed him with several sobriquets like "man with the Midas touch", "Captain Cool" and "Captain Courageous", "Great Gambler" and "Lucky Captain".
His ability to stay cool during touch match situations and working with his hunches instead of cricketing logic has made Dhoni a captain whom most experts cannot fathom. When the world and their uncles and aunts felt that Dhoni had given it away by getting the innocuous Joginder Sharma to bowl the final over in the T-20 finals of 2007, he stuck by his bowler and had the last laugh when Sharma got the dangerous looking Misbah ul-Haq to paddle sweep a catch to Sreesanth at short fine leg.
While Dhoni, the risk-taker and swashbuckler has been profiled at considerable length by the media, nobody knew of his soft side till 72 hours before when television channels went berserk with news of his impending marriage. The man, who had been linked to almost every top actress from Bollywood and down south, was settling down to domesticity with a girl approved by his orthodox family.
Even close friends like Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina got to know of this momentous event in their captain's life only some hours before he tied the knot. In fact, Yuvraj Singh who served as his deputy in the ODI scheme of things, tweeted upon hearing the news and admitted that he had no prior information of the wedding. In fact, the media played up the wedding but had to eat humble pie, as the skipper, like a certain Sachin Tendulkar before him, had managed to keep his personal life away from public glare.
With his personal life all sewn up, Dhoni is today in an enviable position of leading a side made up of proven performers and young hopefuls who will give it their all to bag that coveted trophy next April. We at MSN India wish Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his band of boys the very best and pray that the number 29 proves lucky for him and for the rest of the country.
1. M S Dhoni was born to Pan Singh and Devaki Devi in Lvali village of Lamgarha block in the Almora District of what was then Uttar Pradesh and is now Uttaranchal.
2. Father Pan Singh worked for MECON and had two other children - daughter Jayanti and son Narendra Singh Dhoni. The family moved to Ranchi later.
3. Studied at the DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Shyamali in Ranchi.
4. Excelled in badminton and football early on and even represented his club and district in these games. Represented his school in football and was the goalkeeper.
5. Took up cricket at the behest of his football coach and played as a wicket keeper for a local cricket club. Was a regular keeper for the Commando Club in Ranchi since 1995.
6. He is an ardent fan of Adam Gilchrist and Sachin Tendulkar. Watches all movies of Amitabh Bachchan and listens to Lata Mangeshkar songs.
7. Debuted for Bihar in the 1998-99 season and was selected to represent India-A in a tour to Kenya in 2004.
8. Made his India debut the same year against Bangladesh in Dhaka and was run out without scoring in the match.
9. Was sent up the order by skipper Rahul Dravid and Dhoni cracked the highest ever ODI score by a wicketkeeper. His 183 not out against Sri Lanka still stands tall.
10. Debuted in test matches at Chennai in December 2005 on a string of consistent performances in the ODI format of the game
11. By April 2006, Dhoni had overtaken Ricky Ponting as the No.1 batsman in ODIs though he lasted in that spot for precisely one week.
13. Named vice-captain of the ODI team to England in 2007, Dhoni took over as captain of the T-20 team the same year and ended up winning the tournament held in South Africa.
14. Took over from Anil Kumble as Test captain for one test in April 2008 and took full control upon Kumble's retirement in November.
15. Dhoni's gestures of allowing Ganguly to lead the side on his last day and carrying Kumble on his shoulders from the ground on his final test match are well documented
16. Is amongst the highest tax payers of the country and endorses 20 brands - one lower than the all time record of 21 held currently by Bollywood Badshah Shah Rukh Khan
