On December 23, 2004, a long-haired young cricketer from Ranchi made his first appearance in international cricket. He played in an ODI against Bangladesh in Chattogram. Unfortunately, his innings ended quickly as he got run out for zero on the very first ball he faced. This inauspicious start, however, was the beginning of one of the greatest careers in cricket history. That young boy was Mahendra Singh Dhoni, fondly known as “Mahi.”
Twenty years later, Dhoni is celebrated as one of the best captains and wicketkeepers in cricket. He is the only captain to have won all three major ICC trophies: the T20 World Cup in 2007, the ODI World Cup in 2011, and the Champions Trophy in 2013. Under his leadership, India also reached the top spot in the ICC Test rankings, proving his ability to lead the team to new heights.
Dhoni’s magic wasn’t limited to international cricket. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he guided the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to 10 finals and won five titles, a record in the tournament. Even after retiring from international cricket on August 15, 2020, he continued to win hearts in the IPL, where CSK fans lovingly call him “Thala.”
Dhoni’s achievements on the field are remarkable. In ODIs, he scored 10,773 runs in 350 matches with an average of 50.57, including 10 centuries and 73 half-centuries. In Tests, he made 4,876 runs in 90 matches with an average of 38.09, and his T20I career saw him scoring 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60 in 98 matches.
As a wicketkeeper, Dhoni’s lightning-fast hands set records. He made 256 catches and 38 stumpings in ODIs, 444 dismissals (321 catches and 123 stumpings) in Tests, and 91 dismissals (57 catches and 34 stumpings) in T20Is.
Marking the 20th anniversary of Dhoni’s debut, CSK shared a touching post on their official X handle, saying, “The era – MaSterpiece! On this day, 20 years ago, a long-haired young boy stepped onto the field and you know the rest.”
From a tough start to becoming a cricket legend, Dhoni’s journey is an example of hard work, calmness, and unmatched skill. As fans celebrate 20 years since his debut, “Captain Cool” continues to inspire countless cricket lovers in India and across the world.
