Happy Birthday MS Dhoni: 3 moments where 'Captain Cool' proved to be large-hearted
MS Dhoni epitomised the rise of the aspirational Indian middle class from the small towns. Coming from the cricketing backwaters of India - Ranchi in Jharkhand - Dhoni ended up becoming an iconic cricketer.
As a player, he made himself a superstar with his exploits in ODI chases and, as a captain, he won three global ICC trophies. What else can you ask for as an athlete in your playing days?
He did retire himself from international cricket after achieving greater heights, but he keeps pushing himself in the IPL, where he is showing the world that he still has cricket left in him.
Amidst all these successes, he also had his share of failures and criticism, but he handled them all with grace, composure, and a cool head. It was this apparent unruffled manner that earned him the moniker of 'Captain Cool'.
With his 42nd birthday just having taken place, we look back at some of the moments where he impressed everyone with his large-hearted gestures. This showed a kindlier side of Dhoni.
#3 An off-field gesture for an eight-year-old girl
It was a very wholesome moment, with MS Dhoni showing why people adore him so much with his kind gestures, even for his fans.
The incident happened when the Chennai Super Kings were travelling from their hotel to the stadium for their practice. And as expected, fans gathered outside the hotel to have a chance to see their favorite cricketers.
While the team was entering the Team Bus, MS Dhoni saw a beautiful sketch of him from one of his fans. It turned out to be from an 8-year-old girl who had come along with her mother to meet Dhoni.
Dhoni called the security personnel and told them to get that sketch. After getting the sketch, the former Indian captain signed it himself and wrote an inspirational yet heart-touching note for that young fan. He made sure that the signed sketch reached that fan safely.
#2 Deliberately played a dot ball for Virat Kohli to finish the game
It was the all-important 2014 T20 World Cup semi-final against South Africa when Virat Kohli played a majestic innings of 72 not out from 44 balls. He masterfully guided India to the 173-run target with useful contributions from Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane.
The knock was so good that, at the time, he rated it as his best T20 innings. MS Dhoni, who came in to bat in the 19th over when an India win looked inevitable, was on strike when India needed one run off seven balls to win the game.
The then-India skipper was on the cusp of hitting the winning runs in yet another game.
However, Dhoni surprised fans and experts, as he decided to let Kohli have his moment and dead bat a short delivery from Beuran Hendricks.
Kohli, who wasn’t aware of the plan, left his ground at the non-striker’s end in an attempt to run the winning single. But Dhoni denied the single and gave Kohli a knowing nod.
It was all smiles in the end. Kohli finished the match with a trademark whip through the mid-wicket for a boundary on the first ball of the 20th over from Dale Steyn.
#1 Dhoni's king-sized IPL trophy gesture
Usually, MS Dhoni lifts the trophies he wins and gives them to the young members of the squad, but in the IPL 2023 final, it was a different scenario.
After defeating the Gujarat Titans in the finals, CSK captain MS Dhoni had a heartwarming gesture for Ravindra Jadeja and retiring Ambati Rayudu. He called upon both stars to receive the IPL trophy with him during the post-match presentation ceremony.
He then, as usual, stepped aside in the background to let the team cherish their moment.
Rayudu later revealed the reason behind this gesture, saying:
“Before the ceremony, he called me and Jaddu, saying he wants us to join him in lifting the trophy. He thinks it was the right moment to do it with both of us. It was really special on his part; I don't think that has ever happened. That's the person he is, and that's the person that the world knows. Overall, it was his gesture.”