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5 life lessons from MS Dhoni’s career

The former Indian captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, turned 43 on July 7, 2024. MS Dhoni celebrated his birthday by cutting a cake with his wife, Sakshi Dhoni, with Bollywood star Salman Khan joining him on the occasion.

MSD made his debut against Bangladesh in 2004. Meanwhile, he announced his retirement on August 15, 2020. The keeper-batter had an incredible career and was one of the most successful Indian captains ever.

MS Dhoni represented India in 90 test matches. He scored 4876 runs at an average of 38.9. The right-handed batter had a brilliant ODI career; scoring 10,773 runs in 297 innings at an average of 50.8.

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MS Dhoni saw the highest level of success in his cricketing career. He first led India to a 2007 T20 World Cup triumph in South Africa. The Men in Blue also reached the No. 1 ranking in Test cricket under his leadership.

One of the most historical moments was when he hit the winning six in the 2011 ODI World Cup, bringing glory to India after 28 years. However, things didn’t end here; the Men in Blue won the ICC Champions Trophy under his captaincy in 2013.

His success wasn’t only limited to international cricket; he remains one of the most successful captains, along with Rohit Sharma, in the Indian Premier League. MS Dhoni has guided Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five IPL titles.

Along with these amazing stats, MS Dhoni has shown his different traits, which everyone wants to have. Be it his ability to handle pressure or take big calls, the keeper-batter has never refrained from taking risks.

As fans worldwide celebrate the birthday of one of the most loved cricketers, in this article, we will look at five life lessons from Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s career.


#1 Staying cool under pressure

One of the most important lessons from Dhoni’s career was staying calm under pressure, which also earned him the moniker of ‘Captain Cool.' On numerous occasions over the years, team India was put under pressure when Dhoni was the captain; however, he never let his emotions take over him; he remained focused in every situation and took decisions with a cool mind.

One can remember his decision to bowl Joginder Sharma in the final of the 2007 T20 World Cup against Pakistan. Remaining composed, Dhoni asked the pacer for the same, who then delivered on the big occasion.

Another example could be leading the team to victory in the Champions Trophy final in 2013. The Men in Blue were defending a small target of 130 and were put under pressure by the England batter from time to time. However, MSD remained calm, took decisions with a cool mind, and helped India win the Champions Trophy.


#2 Decision-making

MS Dhoni was very sharp with his decision-making and was always clear about what he wanted to do. In the 2013 Champions Trophy final, Ishant Sharma was going for plenty; England only needed 28 off the last three overs.

However, Dhoni decided to bowl Ishant in this massive moment ahead of R. Ashwin, which proved to be match-defining. Ishant took two important wickets of Eoin Morgan and Ravi Bopara to bring the match in India’s favor.

In the 2011 ODI World Cup final also, MSD made a great decision to promote himself above Yuvraj Singh, who was having the tournament of his life. This decision was made with consideration for the fact that Dhoni had more experience facing the two off-spinners (Muttiah Muralithiran and Suraj Randiv) on the Sri Lankan team, having played with them for CSK in the IPL.

This decision proved to be a masterclass, as the Indian captain played a match-winning knock to help India win the ODI World Cup after 28 years.


#3 Putting the team above himself

As captain, MS Dhoni showed selflessness by often batting lower in the order himself. He did this to give younger players more chances to play and grow. This decision helped build a stronger team and showed Dhoni's dedication to helping his teammates succeed.

Before the 2015 ODI World Cup, MS Dhoni received news that he was blessed with a baby girl. However, he didn’t go back to India to remain focused on the World Cup.

In the later stages of his career, he also groomed Virat Kohli, who became his successor. MS Dhoni was someone who always played for the betterment of the team.


#4 Talk less, work more

MS Dhoni has consistently advocated for hard work. The former Indian captain had gone through tough phases in his career; however, he never chose to talk much about the criticism he received; he always remained focused on his job.

He’s also not so active on social media platforms, staying away from all the distractions and focusing on his game and how he can benefit his team. This approach by MS Dhoni highlights his mindset and his commitment to his hard work and team success over personal attention.


#5 Hard work is nothing without luck

In cricket, luck plays an important role since, without it, hard work might not guarantee success every time. In instances like the 2007 T20 World Cup or the 2013 Champions Trophy, decisions like choosing Joginder Sharma for the final over or giving that all-important 18th over to Ishant Sharma may have been questioned if the outcomes had been different.

However, Dhoni's decisions, influenced by both strategy and intuition, played a crucial role in the history of Indian cricket. MS Dhoni has done wonders for Indian cricket, and as Gautam Gambhir said in a conversation with Star Sports, "MS Dhoni is the best captain India has ever had.” This sums up Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s contribution to Indian cricket.

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