JOIN USHailed as the most successful Indian cricket captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni celebrated his 32nd birthday on Sunday.
“Here’s wishing a very happy birthday to our captain @msdhoni #HappyBirthdayMahi,” said the BCCI on its twitter handle.
Dhoni, under whom India won the Twenty20 World Championship in 2007, the ODI World Cup (2011) and the Champions Trophy (2013), is currently in the West Indies with the national team for an ODI tri-series.
The skipper is, however, laid low by a hamstring injury which he picked up during the ongoing series which also features Sri Lanka.
Dhoni began his career in 2004/05 against Bangladesh, a rather forgettable debut considering that the player from Jharkhand was run out for a duck.
But his career graph has only headed northwards after that and he is easily one of the most revered sportspersons in the country right now.
“Hard to know what goes on in Dhoni’s mind...But I am guessing he backs temperament the most when he promotes a talent,” tweeted former India player Sanjay Manjrekar.
The wicket-keeper batsman has played 77 Tests so far, scoring 4209 runs at an average of 39.70. Considered a game-changer in the ODI format, Dhoni has 7313 runs at an average of 51.13 in the 225 matches that he has played.
Successful and popular he might be, but Dhoni has had to endure some controversies as well, the most recent being the reported ‘conflict of interest’ in his shareholding in a player management firm, which has on its roll some Indian players including the skipper.
Meanwhile, family, friends and fans greeted birthday boy Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who turned 32, and wished him luck for winning many more laurels for Team India.
His fans and friends cut a birthday cake and distributed sweets at a couple of places, wishing the Ranchi boy success in his cricketing exploits.
Dhoni, who is in West Indies with the team, thanked all his supporters through his twitter page.