'Greatest ever to play the sport' - Cricket fraternity pour their hearts out on legendary MS Dhoni's 42nd birthday

Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will be celebrating his 42^nd birthday today, July 7, 2023. Words fall short to describe the legendary wicketkeeper-batter’s contribution to Indian cricket. After being handed the captaincy mantle, he led India to victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the Champions Trophy in 2013.

Clinching the three trophies, he became the first-ever captain to bag all three ICC titles which were there at that time. He also became the first Indian captain to lead India to the No. 1 spot in the Test rankings. After taking the team to several heights, Dhoni passed over the captaincy to Virat Kohli. Dhoni announced his retirement on August 15, 2020, at 7:29 PM, marking the 2019 World Cup semi-final game against New Zealand as his last international match. 

He took to his official social media handles and broke the news, while sharing a video of his journey. The video included both the high points as well as the lows that Dhoni witnessed in his career. 

"Thanks a lot for ur love and support throughout.from 1929 hrs consider me as Retired," he captioned the post.

'Greatest ever to play the sport' - Cricket fraternity pour their hearts out to celebrate legendary MS Dhoni's 42nd birthday

Dhoni has groomed several cricketers over the years, and he still continues to do so at the Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. The 42-year-old’s most recent achievement came in May 2023, when he led CSK to a record-equaling fifth IPL title. In what went down as one of the longest IPL finale ever, CSK clinched a victory against Gujarat Titans on the final ball of the final over in the rain-curtailed game and the Men in Yellow were named the champions.

What caught attention was Dhoni inviting Ambati Rayudu and Ravindra Jadeja to collect the trophy from BCCI President Roger Binny and BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. Rayudu had announced his retirement from the tournament before the summit clash and had revealed that the IPL 2023 final would be his last outing in the yellow kit.

Ravindra Jadeja played a crucial role in CSK’s victory, as he notched up 10 runs off the final two deliveries of the game to successfully chase down the target under immense pressure, post midnight of May 30 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Hence, Rayudu and Jadeja collected the trophy. Even during the celebrations, Dhoni stood in the corner while the rest of the players were in front celebrating the joyous occasion.

Dhoni has given Indian cricket fans several moments to cherish over the years, and he continues to impress everyone with his game-reading skills from behind the stumps. One of the finest skippers to have ever led India, Dhoni’s absence in the Indian camp is still felt, as no player has managed to fill the void. Fans keep waiting for an entire year to see Dhoni play in the IPL, and the veteran will most likely play in the IPL 2024, having promised it to his fans as a return gift for their tremendous support throughout the 2023 edition.

Dhoni is not just a fan favorite but is also loved by the entire cricketing fraternity. On his 42^nd birthday, cricketers shared some heartfelt wishes for the legendary player.