MS Dhoni is widely regarded as one of the greatest cricketers of this generation. Learn more about where Dhoni came from and how he became India’s most successful captain in our list of 30 interesting facts about MS Dhoni. Read on…
Now retired, Dhoni is known for his calm demeanor and witty personality, earning him the nickname “captain cool” by the cricket fraternity.
He announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on 15 August, 2020 via his Instagram.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has captained the India Cricket Team for a whopping 331 matches (60 Tests, 199 ODIs, and 72 T20Is), which is the highest by any captain across all the formats of the game.
He is also the only captain to have won all the three major ICC limited-overs tournaments- T20I World Cup 2007, ODI World Cup 2011, and Champions Trophy 2013.
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In this article, we will celebrate India’s most successful captain by sharing some interesting facts about MS Dhoni.
The Top 30 Interesting Facts about MS Dhoni
Here are some interesting and yet, unknown facts about MS Dhoni
Interesting Fact #1: He worked for Indian Railways as a TTE
During his struggling years as a cricketer, MS Dhoni worked as a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) at the Kharagpur Railway Station under South Eastern Railway in Midnapore from the year 2001 to 2003.
Interesting Fact #2: Scored 56% in 12th Standard
He has completed his schooling in Ranchi. He studied in DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir, and went to St. Xaviers College, Ranchi, before dropping out. Dhoni scored 56% in 12th and 66% in 10th standard.
Interesting Fact #3: Dhoni is the 2nd richest cricketer in the world!
Dhoni has a net worth of Rs. Rs. 808 Crores in 2021. His net worth is USD (dollars) is approximately $110 Million, making him the 2nd richest cricketer in the world!
Interesting Fact #4: Brand Endorsements worth Rs. 250 crores!
Dhoni charges brands around Rs. 4-6 crore per day for his shoots. He is estimated to earn around Rs. 250 crore from long-term endorsement contracts.
Interesting Fact #5: Cricket wasn’t his first preference
Dhoni was always good at sports. He wanted to be a goalkeeper and played Badminton during his school days, before committing full-time to become a cricketer.
Interesting Fact #6: He loves Hulk Hogan!
MSD is a huge WWE fan. His beloved wrestlers include the likes of Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart and Hulk Hogan!
Interesting Fact #7: Dhoni made his debut at the age of 18
At 18, Dhoni made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar in the 1999–2000 season. He made a half-century in his debut match scoring 68 not-out.
Interesting Fact #8: He was suggested by Sachin Tendulkar
He was suggested for the captaincy position for the inaugural T20 World Cup by cricket legends Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar.
Interesting Fact #9: Holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Territorial Army
Dhoni was awarded the title of Lieutenant Colonel by the Indian Territorial Army on November 1, 2011. He is only the second Indian cricketer after the legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev to receive an honorary rank.
Interesting Fact #10: MS has won all 3 major ICC Trophies
He is the only captain in the world to have won all the three major ICC limited-overs tournaments- T20I World Cup 2007, ODI World Cup 2011, and Champions Trophy 2013.
Interesting Fact #11: Won Player of the Year Twice
He is also the only player in history to win the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) ODI Player of the Year award twice– in consecutive years- 2008 and 2009.
Interesting Fact #12: Mahi Racing Team
Dhoni is a huge fan of automobiles. His garage is filled with luxury as well as vintage cars and bikes. Such is his love for bikes that he even co-owns a motorcycle racing team with Telugu film star Akkineni Nagarjuna, called the Mahi Racing team. It’s also India’s first World Superbike team.
Interesting Fact #13: Most expensive buy in the IPL
Dhoni was bought by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a staggering Rs. 12 crores, in the first IPL auction, making him the most expensive player in IPL 2008.
Interesting Fact #14: Dhoni has made over Rs. 150 crores in the IPL
MS Dhoni’s IPL salary in 2021 is Rs. 15 crores, making him one of the highest-paid cricketers in IPL. In 14 seasons of the IPL, Dhoni has made over Rs. 150 crores from his franchise CSK (Chennai Super Kings) and (now debunked) Pune Warriors India.
Interesting Fact #15: Dhoni makes big bucks through endorsements in the IPL
According to few sources, Dhoni earned anywhere between Rs. 120-150 crore in IPL 2020 from endorsement deals.
Interesting Fact #16: Most matches as Captain
MSD has captained India in a total of 331 matches (60 Tests, 199 ODIs, and 72 T20Is), the highest by any captain across all formats of the game.
Interesting Fact #17: He is India’s most successful captain
He is India’s most successful captain ever, with a winning record of 45% in Tests, 55.28% in ODIs, and 56.94% in T20Is.
Interesting Fact #18: Dhoni holds the record of the highest score ever by a wicket-keeper
MS Dhoni made an unbeaten 183 against Sri Lanka in Jaipur, back in 2005, which is the highest score ever by a wicket-keeper in ODI cricket.
Interesting Fact #19: Second Highest score by a captain
Dhoni’s 224 against Australia in 2013 is the second-highest score ever by an Indian captain.
Interesting Fact #20: He has won 5 consecutive series
He is the only Indian captain to win five consecutive series in International cricket.
Interesting Fact #21: Has a Biography made after him
Dhoni has a biographical film based on his life, titled M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story. The movie was released on 30 September 2016 and the late actor Sushant Singh Rajput played the role of Dhoni in the film.
Interesting Fact #22: Owns multiple franchises
He is the co-owner of various sporting franchises such as Ranchi-based hockey club Ranchi Rays, Chennai-based football club Chennaiyin FC.
Interesting Fact #23: Mahi makes a bank on Instagram!
The former captain of the Indian Team has over 33 Million Instagram followers. Reports suggest that he makes about Rs. 88 lakhs per sponsored post on Instagram and around Rs. 1.3 crores for each promotional video.
Interesting Fact #24: Owns property in Dehradun
Next up in our list of interesting facts about MS Dhoni are details about his properties. MS owns a luxury home in Dehradun, which he bought in the year 2011. The house is estimated to be worth around Rs. 17.8 crores.
Interesting Fact #25: Lives in a luxurious farmhouse
Nowadays, MS Dhoni lives with his family in his astonishing farmhouse ‘Kailashpati’. The farmhouse covers an area of 7-acres and is situated at Ranchi’s Ring Road. The luxury house includes an enormous lawn, a gymnasium, and even has a swimming pool.
Interesting Fact #26: Owns a gym franchise
He owns a gym franchise by the name of SportsFit and a fashion label called Seven (named after his jersey number!)
Interesting Fact #27: Dhoni has over 50 bikes!
He has over 50 bikes including a Suzuki Hayabusa, Kawasaki Ninja H2R, Ducati 1098, Ninja ZX-14R, and more.
Interesting Fact #28: His cars are gorgeous!
His car collection includes the likes of BMW 7 Series, Hummer H2, Ferrari 599 GTO, Land Cruiser, Audi Q7, and many more.
Interesting Fact #29: Forbes list of The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes
Dhoni was ranked 23rd on the Forbes list of The World’s Highest-Paid Athletes in 2015. His earnings that year were $31 million, which included his salary/winnings at $4 million and endorsements worth $27 million.
Interesting Fact #30: Brand Value
Dhoni’s has a brand value of over $1.24 billion. He has endorsed countless brands over the years including OPPO, Godaddy, Cars24, Bharat Matrimony, Mastercard India, Snickers India, Zed Black Agarbattis, Dream11, Reebok, Boost, Exide Life Insurance, State of Jharkhand, and more.
Final Words: Interesting Facts about MS Dhoni
Dhoni has been a youth icon and a tremendous captain in all formats of the game for India. From a ticket collector to a trophy collector, MS Dhoni has shown the world what is possible if you work hard and be focused on the journey.
Which interesting facts about MS Dhoni did you liked the best? Do let us know in the comments section below!
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