5 things that might not have happened in Indian cricket were it not for MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni made his India debut in 2004, and has since gone on to become one of the greatest cricketers and perhaps the best captain the country has ever seen. He has numerous collective and individual accolades to his name, such as being the only captain to win all three ICC trophies and having the most not-outs in ODI history.
However, MS Dhoni's impact transcends numbers and trophies. The man from Ranchi has revolutionised Indian cricket in more ways than one, many of which fans of the game might not have heard of.
In this article, we take a look at five things that might not have happened to Indian cricket if MS Dhoni, who turns 39 on July 7, had not captained the Men in Blue.
#5 Indian cricket might have hit a rut after the retirement of the 'Fab Four' were it not for MS Dhoni
When Sachin Tendulkar retired in 2013, 'The Fab Four' consisting of Tendulkar himself, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, and VVS Laxman had hung up their boots, leaving behind a gaping hole in the Indian batting lineup - a hole that had to be filled by captain MS Dhoni.
The former Indian captain also had to deal with the retirements of Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble, and Zaheer Khan. However, not once have we seen the performances of the national side dip, and most of the credit for this has to be given to MS Dhoni.
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The 38-year-old has managed seamless transitions between the golden era of the 'Fab Four' to the current international domination spearheaded by Virat Kohli. This incredible spell of consistency was perhaps boosted by the T20 World Cup in 2007, MS Dhoni's first assignment at the helm of the team.
Incredibly, the Indian Premier League (IPL) might not have become the cash-rich extravaganza it is today if it weren't for the inaugural T20 WC win. MS Dhoni's brave calls and confident leadership paved the way for the spectacle that is T20 cricket, especially in India.