There was a time when the very idea of an Indian cricketer rivalling Sachin Tendulkar in the popularity stakes bordered on the preposterous. But the advent of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his meteoric rise through the ranks did just that, with a new generation transfixed by a small-town boy whose personality and background couldn't have been more different from that of Tendulkar.
Few had heard of him as a 23-year-old when he savaged a Pakistan A side in Nairobi. There had been the odd excited whispers from those who watched his big-hitting exploits in Kolkata club cricket, but hardly anyone expected that he would be playing for India within months of that Kenyan safari. In his fifth game, he lashed a matchwinning 148 against Pakistan and later in the year, he clubbed 183 against Sri Lanka. Such was the impact of his strokeplay that a far-from-polished wicketkeeping technique was almost ignored as he was fast-tracked into the Test side.
Within two years of that, he was leading an inexperienced team to glory in the inaugural World Twenty20, and winning the last tri-series to be held in Australia. When Anil Kumble handed over the Test reins in 2008, he celebrated with a home victory against Australia.
Off the field, his Samson mane and fondness for fast bikes marked him down as Mr Cool, and though the haircut eventually became short-back-and-sides, the cool quotient never wavered. He was seldom flustered on the field either, batting and leading the side with poise and assuredness. Not for him the sustained harangue or the bloody oath.
He fine-tuned his game too, becoming a safe keeper and a batsman capable of shifting through the gears as he pleased. Sometimes discomfited by the short ball, he compensated with astonishing power in his preferred hitting zones. The scythe over midwicket, even to yorker-length deliveries, drove bowlers to distraction, and his mastery of the 50-over game is revealed by a batting average that remains over 50 after more than 150 games.
He remains the advertiser's dream and a poster boy for modern-day India, but off the field, Dhoni has seldom courted attention or publicity. Even his wedding was a low-key family affair, and now nearing 30, he remains content to make the big statements where they need to be made, out on the field.
Few had heard of him as a 23-year-old when he savaged a Pakistan A side in Nairobi. There had been the odd excited whispers from those who watched his big-hitting exploits in Kolkata club cricket, but hardly anyone expected that he would be playing for India within months of that Kenyan safari. In his fifth game, he lashed a matchwinning 148 against Pakistan and later in the year, he clubbed 183 against Sri Lanka. Such was the impact of his strokeplay that a far-from-polished wicketkeeping technique was almost ignored as he was fast-tracked into the Test side.
Within two years of that, he was leading an inexperienced team to glory in the inaugural World Twenty20, and winning the last tri-series to be held in Australia. When Anil Kumble handed over the Test reins in 2008, he celebrated with a home victory against Australia.
Off the field, his Samson mane and fondness for fast bikes marked him down as Mr Cool, and though the haircut eventually became short-back-and-sides, the cool quotient never wavered. He was seldom flustered on the field either, batting and leading the side with poise and assuredness. Not for him the sustained harangue or the bloody oath.
He fine-tuned his game too, becoming a safe keeper and a batsman capable of shifting through the gears as he pleased. Sometimes discomfited by the short ball, he compensated with astonishing power in his preferred hitting zones. The scythe over midwicket, even to yorker-length deliveries, drove bowlers to distraction, and his mastery of the 50-over game is revealed by a batting average that remains over 50 after more than 150 games.
He remains the advertiser's dream and a poster boy for modern-day India, but off the field, Dhoni has seldom courted attention or publicity. Even his wedding was a low-key family affair, and now nearing 30, he remains content to make the big statements where they need to be made, out on the field.
Full name Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Born July 7, 1981, Ranchi
Current age 29 years 138 days
Major teams India, Asia XI, Bihar, Chennai Super Kings, Jharkhand
Also known as Mahi
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm medium
Fielding position Wicketkeeper
Batting and fielding averages
| Mat | Inns | NO | Runs | HS | Ave | BF | SR | 100 | 50 | 4s | 6s | Ct | St | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 50 | 76 | 9 | 2648 | 148 | 39.52 | 4442 | 59.61 | 4 | 18 | 286 | 47 | 133 | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| ODIs | 172 | 153 | 39 | 5733 | 183* | 50.28 | 6489 | 88.34 | 7 | 37 | 442 | 119 | 170 | 55 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| T20Is | 25 | 24 | 7 | 441 | 46 | 25.94 | 393 | 112.21 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 13 | 11 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| First-class | 91 | 142 | 12 | 4810 | 148 | 37.00 | 7 | 32 | 241 | 44 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| List A | 228 | 205 | 49 | 7735 | 183* | 49.58 | 13 | 48 | 237 | 70 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Twenty20 | 78 | 71 | 23 | 1688 | 73* | 35.16 | 1310 | 128.85 | 0 | 7 | 131 | 55 | 32 | 19 |
Bowling averages
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 50 | 3 | 18 | 19 | 0 | - | - | - | 6.33 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 172 | 1 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 1/14 | 1/14 | 14.00 | 7.00 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | 25 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| First-class | 91 | 48 | 39 | 0 | - | - | - | 4.87 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| List A | 228 | 39 | 36 | 2 | 1/14 | 1/14 | 18.00 | 5.53 | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Twenty20 | 78 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Career statistics
Test debut India v Sri Lanka at Chennai, Dec 2-6, 2005 scorecard
Last Test India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010
Test debut India v Sri Lanka at Chennai, Dec 2-6, 2005 scorecard
Last Test India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010
ODI debut Bangladesh v India at Chittagong, Dec 23, 2004
Last ODI India v Australia at Visakhapatnam, Oct 20, 2010
Last ODI India v Australia at Visakhapatnam, Oct 20, 2010
T20I debut South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
Last T20I India v Sri Lanka at Gros Islet, May 11, 2010
Last T20I India v Sri Lanka at Gros Islet, May 11, 2010
First-class debut 1999/00
Last First-class India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010
List A debut 1999/00
Last List A India v Australia at Visakhapatnam, Oct 20, 2010
Twenty20 debut South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
Last Twenty20 Warriors v Chennai Super Kings at Johannesburg, Sep 26, 2010
Last First-class India v New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan), Nov 12-16, 2010
List A debut 1999/00
Last List A India v Australia at Visakhapatnam, Oct 20, 2010
Twenty20 debut South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
Last Twenty20 Warriors v Chennai Super Kings at Johannesburg, Sep 26, 2010
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