Mahendra Singh Dhoni, often referred to as ‘Mahi’ born on 7 July 1981 is an Indian cricketer and the current captain of the Indian national cricket team. Dhoni was born in Ranchi, Bihar in a Rajput family to Pan Singh and Devaki Devi. Dhoni’s parents moved from Uttarkhand to Ranchi where Pan Singh worked in junior management positions in MECON. Dhoni has two siblings, Jayanti and Narendra. Dhoni was quite famous for his stunning hair style, lately he shortened his hair because he wanted to look like his favorite star John Abraham. He likes bikes. He owns 4 cars and 23 high-speed bikes. He endorses 15 brands from clothes to cold drinks. He is also one of the highest income tax payers in the last year.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni - M S Dhoni - School days
Dhoni studied at DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, Ranchi, Jharkhand, where he initially excelled in badminton and football and was selected at district and club levels in these sports. Dhoni was a goalkeeper for his football team and was sent to play cricket for a local cricket club by his football coach. Though, he had not played cricket, Dhoni impressed with his wicket-keeping skills and became the regular wicketkeeper at the Commando Cricket Club (1995-1998). Based on his performance at cricket club, he was picked for the 1997/98 season Vinoo Mankad Trophy under 16 Championship and he performed well. Dhoni focused on cricket after his 10th standard.
Dhoni married Sakshi on 4 July, 2010. Sakshi Dhoni is a native of Dehradun and at the time of marriage, she was studying Hotel Management and was working as a trainee at the Taj Bengal, Kolkata. The couples were school time friends and had studied together at DAV School, Ranchi.
Dhoni is a right-handed batsman and a wicket-keeper. Dhoni is one of the numbers of wicket-keepers who have come through the ranks of junior. Dhoni has come to be regarded as one of the coolest heads to captain the Indian ODI side. Under his captaincy, India won the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, CB Series of 2007-08, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in 2008 and 2010 against Australia and 2011 World Cup in which India beat every previous world cup winning teams. His ODI record, is the best among all the Indian captains to date. He also captained Chennai Super Kings to victory in the recent 2011 IPL and in the Champions League.
Dhoni has also received many awards including the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2009, the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award in 2009. In 2009 Dhoni topped the list of world’s top 10 earning cricketers compiled by Forbes. According to the Sports Pro magazine Dhoni is the 10th most valuable brand in the field of sports worldwide and number 1 among all Asian superstars.
The bat which was used by Dhoni in the world cup in the final match, which got the team winning six, was sold for a massive Rs.72 lakhs by a England based Indian Company. The money goes to Sakshi Rawat Foundation, operated by Dhoni’s wife Sakshi Rawat to help orphan children.
