logo
MS Dhoni turns 44: Check out top achievements of former India captain

MS Dhoni turns 44: Check out top achievements of former India captain

Mint07-07-2025
MS Dhoni turns 44: Check out top achievements of former India captain
9 Photos . Updated: 07 Jul 2025, 11:01 AM IST
Share Via
Former India captain MS Dhoni has turned 44 today. The veteran batter had led India to multiple ICC trophies while also raising the team to the number 1 Test rankings during his tenure as the captain.
1/9Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni turns 44 today. (PTI)
2/9Dhoni was born on 7 July, 1981 in Ranchi, Jharkhand. He intially was a football goabkeeper but later developed wicket keeping skills during the school days.
3/9Dhoni rose through the ranks of local cricket clubs and played his first Ranji Trophy match in 1999. (PTI)
4/9Dhoni made his ODI debut for India in 2004 against Bangladesh. He later made his mark with a 148 run knock in his fifth ODI match against Pakistan. The batter later also made his Test debut in 2005.
5/9Dhoni was made the India captain in 2007 and he led a young team to victory in the 2007 ODI World Cup.
6/9Dhoni was made India Test captain in 2008 and he led the team to top of ICC Test rankings in 2009. (AFP)
7/9Dhoni went on to lead India to a victory in the 2011 ODI World and 2013 Champions Trophy.
8/9The batter announced his shocking retirement from Test cricket on 20 December, 2014.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Independence Day 2025: India dreams bigger than ever as a sporting nation with Olympic, CWG bids
Independence Day 2025: India dreams bigger than ever as a sporting nation with Olympic, CWG bids

First Post

time14 minutes ago

  • First Post

Independence Day 2025: India dreams bigger than ever as a sporting nation with Olympic, CWG bids

Having made progress in a wide variety of individual and team sports, from cricket and hockey to javelin throw, India now sets its sights on hosting the Olympics, a move that could change the sporting landscape in the country forever. India is keen on becoming the 21st country to host the Summer Olympics in 2036, hoping to host the world's biggest multi-sporting event in Ahmedabad. Reuters India celebrates 78 years of independence from Britain on Friday, and the nation certainly has come a long way over nearly eight decades – from advancements in healthcare and education to industrialisation and defence and many other sectors. From a nation that could barely afford to feed its own population after being ravaged by nearly two centuries of colonial rule to becoming the fourth-largest economy in the world and a country that proudly counts itself among the major players in space exploration, independent India has made quite the progress over the years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Tracking India's progress as a sporting nation As for its growth as a sporting nation, India has had its share of ups and downs over the years, but it remains largely on the positive side. The country had extended its domination of field hockey beyond independence right till the 1960s and 1970s, and has recently undergone a revival in the form of back-to-back Olympic medals. Cricket had occupied the No. 2 spot in the Indian sport hierarchy for a while until the historic 1983 World Cup changed the landscape forever and it has not looked back since. It has, after all, come to a point where India virtually runs the sport these days. Beyond hockey and cricket, India has made significant progress in sports such as wrestling, shooting, badminton, boxing and even athletics – thanks primarily to javelin star Neeraj Chopra, a two-time Olympic medallist. Javelin star Neeraj Chopra has been the face of India's dramatic rise as a sporting nation in recent years with his twin medals at the Olympics including gold in Tokyo 2020. Image: AFP There was, after all, a time when India would struggle to win more than one medal at the Olympics, one of them usually being guaranteed by the men's field hockey team. And just last year, India's six-medal haul at the Paris Olympics was considered a let-down, given the number of fourth-place finishes. And it's not just the men – the women are making the nation proud as well. From Manu Bhaker making history in the Paris Games to the , coming at a time when Indian football finds itself at one of its lowest points. Bharat dreams big for the future Indian sport, however, finds itself at a crucial juncture in the year 2025. Having made progress across a variety of individual and team sports in recent years, India now dreams of taking things to the next level in the coming years. The Narendra Modi-led government, after all, has submitted bids for two major upcoming events – the 2030 Commonwealth Games as well as the 2036 Olympics, with Ahmedabad being touted as the venue for both events. The country had previously hosted three major multi-sporting events – the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982 and the Commonwealth Games in 2010, with New Delhi serving as the host on each occasion. From hosting these events at gaps of approximately three decades, the nation intends to send a bold message by bidding for two major events in a space of six years. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD And if successful in its bidding and in execution of its plans, it could mark the beginning of a transformation much like that of Saudi Arabia, which was nowhere in the sporting landscape at the start of the century but now finds itself hosting some of the biggest events in football, Formula 1, golf, and boxing, among others. PM Narendra Modi had first made mention of India's desire to host the 2036 Olympics during the 141st IOC Session in Mumbai in 2023. PTI 'We are pushing for hosting rights of 2036 Olympics, it will take Indian sports to new heights. Olympics is not just a sporting event. Wherever Olympics happen, all sectors gain. It creates better facilities for athletes. It spurs construction, creates new connectivity, transport facilities and, most important of all, boosts tourism,' PM Modi had said during the opening ceremony of the 38th National Games earlier this year. And laying the groundwork for those ambitious plans is the National Sports Governance Bill 2025, which cleared both houses of the parliament earlier this week and aims to bring about a total revamp in sports administration and the general sporting culture in this country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, after all, labelled the NSG Bill, which was passed along with the National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill and aims to set up a National Sports Board and a National Sports Tribunal, among other changes, as 'the single biggest reform in sports since independence'. Grassroots should not be ignored while aiming for the sky Hosting either of the CWG or the Olympics is certainly not going to be cheap for the government, forget hosting both in less than a decade. India's proposed budget for the 2036 Olympics reportedly stands at an upper limit of $7.5 billion (approximately Rs 65,000 crore), which is more than the budget for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics ($6.9 billion). That's more than seven times the final expenditure for the 2010 Commonwealth Games. And the nature of hosting such events is that breaking even and eventually making a profit from the games through ticket sales and other sources of revenue isn't a guarantee for the hosts. Thus, for some nations, hosting the Olympics could be the equivalent of a big, fat Indian wedding. And it is in this context that one must keep in mind the fact that India's growth across a wide variety of sports has been spearheaded by grassroots development, spearheaded by the Khelo India programme that was first launched in 2017-18. Other programmes by the government, such as the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, introduced in 2014, have helped young talent identified by Khelo India into world-class athletes capable of achieving a podium finish in the Olympics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hosting the Olympics certainly will bring about a transformation like never before, as far as Indian sport is concerned. But for a country that is yet to hit the double-digit mark in the Olympics, aiming to build a skyscraper cannot come at the cost of a strong foundation.

New Zealand mens team selector Sam Wells announces departure
New Zealand mens team selector Sam Wells announces departure

News18

time37 minutes ago

  • News18

New Zealand mens team selector Sam Wells announces departure

Wellington [New Zealand], August 15 (ANI): New Zealand selector Sam Wells has stepped down from his role in a massive change of guard in the country's men's cricket, announced the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday. Wells has filled the crucial selection position for the Kiwis' men's side for almost two years and has overseen a transition period for the team that has seen long-time coach Gary Stead depart and former skipper Tim Southee retire from Test his tenure, Wells saw New Zealand register a historic 3-0 Test triumph over India away from home last year and reach the final of the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year, but the 41-year-old has decided to stand down from his position to concentrate on his own work commitments.'Serving as selection manager for the Black Caps over the past two years has been a tremendous privilege," Wells said as quoted by the ICC. 'I am deeply grateful to NZC (New Zealand Cricket) for the opportunity to contribute to the national side."'It has been an honour to work alongside the dedicated coaches, talented players, and committed support staff around New Zealand.'While I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the role, I have made the difficult decision to step down in order to prioritise my personal and professional commitments outside of cricket.'I remain a proud supporter of the Black Caps and will continue to cheer the team on as they build toward future success," he concluded. Recently, New Zealand secured a 2-0 Test series win over Zimbabwe away from home, winning the second Test by an innings and 359 runs, their biggest Test win ever. Also in July, they secured the T20I tri-nation series against Zimbabwe and South Africa in Zimbabwe, beating the Proteas in a nail-biting final by three runs. Their next assignment will be a three-match T20I series against rivals Australia at home from October 1 onwards. It would be followed by a white-ball series against England at home, consisting of three T20Is and ODIs each in the same month. (ANI)

Asia Cup T20s: Is Hardik Pandya's leadership dream slipping away?
Asia Cup T20s: Is Hardik Pandya's leadership dream slipping away?

India Today

timean hour ago

  • India Today

Asia Cup T20s: Is Hardik Pandya's leadership dream slipping away?

For years, Hardik Pandya was spoken of as the natural successor to Rohit Sharma in India's white-ball set-up. A dynamic all-rounder with the ability to change games with bat or ball, and a captain who had already shown a knack for leading sides to success, Pandya looked certain to take over. But as things stand, his leadership ambitions have been brought to a Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee is due to announce the squad for the Asia Cup on 19 or 20 August, depending on when the Sports Science team at the Centre of Excellence submits its medical bulletin. That report will include the fitness update on Suryakumar Yadav, who has already resumed batting in the nets in Bengaluru. Selection will involve some fine calls, but the mood in the camp is to stick with continuity — a policy that has served well since Suryakumar became full-time T20I Suryakumar first took the reins in Sri Lanka last year, Shubman Gill was named vice-captain. In the recent home series against England, the role went to Axar Patel, who had also been deputy in an earlier series. Pandya, despite his track record, was nowhere in the leadership FROM LEADERSHIP ROLES That absence is striking. Pandya has captained India in T20Is with success and left a strong imprint on the IPL. He led the Gujarat Titans to the title in their debut season in 2022 and took them to the final in 2023. For many, he was the obvious choice to be India's next T20I captain after the World Cup in the Caribbean. The selectors, however, went with Suryakumar, pointing to lingering doubts over Pandya's fitness. A captain, they reasoned, must be available for every game, not just when the body allows. Hardik was the vice-captain of Indian team during T20 World Cup 2024 (Courtesy: PTI) Suryakumar has thrived in the role, winning praise for his ability to get the best out of mercurial talents like Sanju Samson. Yet the debate has shifted from the captaincy to the vice-captaincy — and Pandya has again been overlooked. Axar Patel's appointment is no reflection on his own merit; the Delhi Capitals skipper in IPL 2025 has been a steady performer in all formats. But it reinforces the message that Pandya's leadership stock has when asked, said Pandya remained 'firmly in the leadership group'. That was the case during the 2024 T20 World Cup, when Pandya was vice-captain. But the landscape shifted when Gautam Gambhir replaced Rahul Dravid as head coach. Surya was made captain, and Gill was promoted to vice-captain. According to a PTI report, Gambhir's arrival dimmed Pandya's chances further, and the Agarkar-led panel was also unsure of his tactical nous as an international makes the current situation harder for Pandya to digest is that his performances in big matches have been anything but lacking. In the World Cup final, he held his nerve in the closing overs, producing a burst that swung the contest. As captain, he has 10 wins in T20Is. In the IPL, he followed up two remarkable years with Gujarat by taking over at the Mumbai Indians in 2025 and leading them to a third-place finish in his second season after replacing Rohit RISING STOCKSMeanwhile, Gill's leadership stock is rising fast. He recently led India to a 2-2 Test series draw against England, finishing as the highest run-scorer across both sides. He was also vice-captain in both white-ball formats during the Sri Lanka tour last year and guided India to a 4-1 T20I series win in Zimbabwe after the World selector Devang Gandhi has gone so far as to say Gill should be India's all-format captain, citing the precedent set by MS Dhoni, under whom Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma flourished.'Gill has built an aura similar to what Virat had in 2017,' Gandhi told The Times of India. 'He has reacted to captaincy as well as Virat did. Ajit Agarkar has shown great foresight by appointing Gill as Test captain. There's no reason why Gill shouldn't be in a leadership role in T20s. The messaging has to be clear about who takes over after Surya.'Gandhi also argued that India's ICC trophies since 2000 have all come under all-format captains, a sign that split leadership rarely works here.'Unlike other countries, in India, you crave stability in thought process,' he said. 'Gill has ticked all the boxes as a batter, and he has led in the IPL,' said AMBITION CHECKFor Pandya, this is a hard pill to swallow. He is only 30, still in his prime, and has built a career on resilience — from growing up on the fringes of cricket's elite pathways to making himself indispensable in the IPL. But repeated snubs leave a mark. They chip away at the self-belief that fuels comebacks. Hardik continues to be a key player for India in white-ball formats (Courtesy: PTI) advertisementThe irony is that India's T20I side still needs him. A power-hitter who can finish games, a bowler who can take key wickets, and a senior figure in the dressing room who commands respect. Titles and designations aside, his influence is not in doubt. But without the vice-captaincy or a clear leadership pathway, his role is shifting to that of a senior pro rather than a designated now, Pandya must focus on his cricket — building on the form he showed with bat and ball at the T20 World Cup — and trust that performances can reopen doors. He has been written off before and found his way back. Yet each setback makes the climb steeper. How long he keeps absorbing the blows without letting them dull his edge is a question only time will dreams are not easily abandoned, especially for someone who has lived them at the franchise and international level. But in Indian cricket's current vision, Pandya is a player they want in the XI, not necessarily in the captain's chair. Whether that changes in the next cycle will depend as much on his fitness and form as on the selectors' willingness to revisit their plans.- EndsMust Watch

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store