[Watch] Flashback to when MS Dhoni made his international debut on this day in 2004
On this day (December 23) in 2004, one of India's favorite sons, MS Dhoni, made his international debut against Bangladesh at Chattogram.
His selection stemmed from India's struggles to identify a wicket-keeper batter who was consistent behind and in front of the stumps. Making his debut under Sourav Ganguly, a 23-year-old Dhoni got off to the worst possible start in his international career.
Coming in at 180/5, he was involved in a terrible mixup with Mohammad Kaif, resulting in his run out for a first-ball duck. After working the delivery to short fine-leg, Dhoni set off for a non-existent single and tried to return to his crease after being halfway down the wicket.
He fell short of the crease as the Bangladesh keeper, Khaled Mashud, whipped the bails off.
Here is a video of MS Dhoni's disastrous international debut:
Despite the horrific start, Dhoni's first match in Indian colors finished with the side pulling off a thrilling 11-run victory.
The Jharkhand-born cricketer played all three games of the Bangladesh series but did very little of note with the bat. However, in the next series at home against Pakistan, Dhoni kickstarted an international career that lasted nearly two decades with a blistering 148 off 123 deliveries in the second ODI.
The champion cricketer never looked back after that, becoming India's most accomplished wicket-keeper batter and captain.
MS Dhoni led Team India to 3 ICC titles between 2007 and 2013
India's ongoing struggles to end a decade-long ICC title drought puts MS Dhoni's illustrious career into greater perspective. The now-retired legendary cricketer led the Men in Blue to remarkable success in three ICC events between 2007 and 2013.
Leading a young team in the inaugural T20 World Cup in South Africa, Dhoni marshaled the troops with a cool head and astute tactics to pull off the stunning triumph. The win earned him the now-famous title of "Captain Cool" for his ability to be composed and unflustered even under the most trying circumstances.
Following the T20 glory, Dhoni also skippered the side to their lone ICC title at home in the 2011 ODI World Cup by famously smashing the winning six in the grand finale against Sri Lanka.
The 42-year-old followed that by leading the side to the title in the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.
Dhoni captained India in an incredible 332 games across formats and won 178 (both Indian records) with a win percentage of almost 60.
He also scored over 17,000 runs in his international career with 16 centuries and is considered by many as the greatest finisher in white-ball cricket.
Apart from his unparalleled success as Indian captain, Dhoni also led the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to five IPL titles, including the most recent one in 2023.