Full name Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Born July 7, 1981, Ranchi
Current age 29 years 225 days
Major teams India, Asia XI, Bihar, Chennai Super Kings, Jharkhand
Also known as Mahi
Playing role Wicketkeeper batsman
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 | 54 | 82 | 9 | 2925 | 148 | 40.06 | 4849 | 60.32 | 4 | 20 | 321 | 51 | 148 | 25 |
| ODIs | 177 | 158 | 39 | 5808 | 183* | 48.80 | 6615 | 87.80 | 7 | 37 | 446 | 119 | 174 | 57 |
| T20Is | 26 | 25 | 8 | 451 | 46 | 26.52 | 404 | 111.63 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 13 | 11 | 3 |
| First-class | 95 | 148 | 12 | 5087 | 148 | 37.40 | | | 7 | 34 | | | 256 | 44 |
| List A | 233 | 210 | 49 | 7810 | 183* | 48.50 | | | 13 | 48 | | | 241 | 72 |
| Twenty20 | 79 | 72 | 24 | 1698 | 73* | 35.37 | 1321 | 128.53 | 0 | 7 | 131 | 55 | 32 | 19 |
| Mat | Inns | Balls | Runs | Wkts | BBI | BBM | Ave | Econ | SR | 4w | 5w | 10 |
| Tests | 54 | 3 | 18 | 19 | 0 | - | - | - | 6.33 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ODIs | 177 | 1 | 12 | 14 | 1 | 1/14 | 1/14 | 14.00 | 7.00 | 12.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| T20Is | 26 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| First-class | 95 | | 48 | 39 | 0 | - | - | - | 4.87 | - | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| List A | 233 | | 39 | 36 | 2 | 1/14 | 1/14 | 18.00 | 5.53 | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Twenty20 | 79 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Test debut | India v Sri Lanka at Chennai, Dec 2-6, 2005 scorecard |
| Last Test | South Africa v India at Cape Town, Jan 2-6, 2011 scorecard |
| Test statistics | |
| ODI debut | Bangladesh v India at Chittagong, Dec 23, 2004 scorecard |
| Last ODI | South Africa v India at Centurion, Jan 23, 2011 scorecard |
| ODI statistics | |
| T20I debut | South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006 scorecard |
| Last T20I | South Africa v India at Durban, Jan 9, 2011 scorecard |
| T20I statistics | |
| First-class debut | 1999/00 |
| Last First-class | South Africa v India at Cape Town, Jan 2-6, 2011 scorecard |
| List A debut | 1999/00 |
| Last List A | South Africa v India at Centurion, Jan 23, 2011 scorecard |
| Twenty20 debut | South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006 scorecard |
| Last Twenty20 | South Africa v India at Durban, Jan 9, 2011 scorecard |
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. Apart from the World Twenty20 win, his leadership also oversaw India's rise to the pinnacle of the Test ladder, and a massively successful three years for the Chennai Super Kings franchise that did well in each of the first three seasons of the IPL before winning the event in 2010, and going a step further to claim the Champions League in the same year.
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.
Dileep Premachandran
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December 23, Chittagong
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At 23, makes his
ODI debut in Chittagong, and is run out for a duck. Finishes the three-match series with 19 runs.
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February 8, 2005
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Smashes an
unbeaten 102 off 96 balls for India Seniors against India B in the Challenger Series. However, Dinesh Karthik is picked to keep wicket for the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan.
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April 5, 2005
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Picked for the home ODI series against Pakistan, captures the imagination of the country by plundering
148 off 123 balls at No. 3 in only his fifth ODI innings. This is the first one-day century by an Indian wicketkeeper - barring Rahul Dravid. India pile up a mammoth 356, and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
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October 31, 2005
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Having established himself in the one-day side, shatters records by smashing
183 not out off 145 balls with 15 fours and 10 sixes in Jaipur, as India successfully chase Sri Lanka's 298. It is the highest ODI score by a wicketkeeper, and spurs India to a 3-0 series lead. Is adjudged Man of the Series after India beat Sri Lanka 6-1.
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December 2, 2005
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Makes his
Test debut in Chennai, and scores 30 in a rain-ruined match against Sri Lanka.
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December 12, 2005
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Scores his maiden Test half-century -
51 off 51 balls - in the second innings of the Delhi Test against Sri Lanka, and adds unbeaten 104 runs for the seventh wicket with Yuvraj Singh, a partnership that puts the Test beyond Sri Lanka's reach.
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January 23-24, 2006
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First Test century. At 281 for 5 in reply to Pakistan's 588 in Faisalabad, India are facing a charged-up Shoaib Akhtar and a follow-on looms large. Plays an array of memorable hooks, and blitzes his way to
148 off 153 balls, and gives India a 15-run lead.
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February 6, 13, 19, 2006
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Continues his excellent ODI form in Pakistan, and develops a reputation of a finisher, scoring
68 off 53 balls,
72 off 46 balls, and
77 off 56 in the five-match series in Pakistan, which India win 4-1.
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May 10, 2007
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Battles cramps and saves India further ODI embarrassment after the World Cup. Chasing Bangladesh's 250 in Mirpur, India are in a disarray at 63 for 3, but he steers them home with
91 off 106 balls.
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July 23, 2007
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Saves the
Lord's Test with a dour innings by his standards. Chasing a target of 380 in the first Test, India are 145 for 5 with the best part of the final day remaining. Shelves his cavalier approach, rides his luck, bats for over three hours, and faces 159 balls for his 76 not out. Manages to hang on until rain forces a premature end to the Test with India on 282 for 9. India go on to win the three-Test series 1-0.
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April 11-13, 2008
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In Anil Kumble's absence, captains in Tests for the first time, and India beat South Africa in three days on a
Kanpur minefield to level the series 1-1.
Cricinfo picks - Our top articles on this player - (Mar 24, 2008)
India's one-day and Twenty20 captain looks back at six momentuous months in charge - (Mar 17, 2008)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has played the most internationals of anyone in the last 15 months. How long can he keep going at this rate before something gives?
