Former Indian captain MS Dhoni made his international debut on this day 15 years ago against Bangladesh.
He didn't come from a traditional cricketing powerhouse in India, which almost instantly made him a rare breed in the Indian cricket team. If that wasn't enough, his hairstyle and unorthodox batting technique ensured he stood out from the rest. After many months of waiting on the wings, Mahendra Singh Dhoni finally made his way into the Indian team towards the end of 2004, when he was selected for a three-match ODI series in Bangladesh.
His debut was far from ideal, however. He was run out on his very first delivery and failed to make an impression throughout the series, registering scores of 12 and an unbeaten 7.
Four months later, however, MS Dhoni was seen as the next big thing in Indian cricket, courtesy a splendid 148-run innings against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam. The celebrated Indian wicketkeeper-batsman didn't look back since. In the same year, MS Dhoni also scored his highest individual score in ODI cricket (183*) against Sri Lanka in Jaipur and established himself as one of the mainstays of the side.
In 2007, the side faced a big setback in the fifty-over World Cup when it was knocked out in the group stage after losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The board, the, decided to take a gamble and entrusted MS Dhoni with the team's captaincy for the inaugural T20 World Cup.
It was a revelation for the Indian cricket fraternity, as the wicketkeeper-batsman led a young side with minimal T20I experience to the World Cup title. His decision-making ability in intense moments - especially in the final of the tournament where he entrusted Joginder Sharma over the experienced Harbhajan Singh for the final over, was lauded by former cricketers, experts and fans alike.
Dhoni soon took over the reins in all the three formats and guided India to immense success. Under the Ranchi-born hero, India reached the top of the ICC Test Rankings for the first time, where the side remained for 18 months.
In 2011, the Dhoni-led Indian team ended the country's 28-year wait for the World Cup trophy. The side lifted the World Cup title at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, and Dhoni himself played a match-winning knock of 91* to steer India to victory.
In 2013, Dhoni became the first captain to win all the ICC tournaments when he lifted the Champions Trophy in England. In the final, the Indian team defeated the host side by 5 runs.
In the later stages of his captaincy in Tests, however, India faced big losses in overseas series against England and Australia. In December 2014, he announced his retirement from the longest format of the game. Roughly two years later, in January 2017, he resigned from captaincy in both the formats, allowing Virat Kohli to take over.
After 15 years at the highest level, MS Dhoni is at the twilight of his career. He last played for the national team in the 2019 World Cup, where he played a significant contribution in the lower-middle order with the bat. However, he is yet to confirm his future in international cricket since.
The 38-year-old former Indian captain has changed the dynamics of the sport. As ICC says, MS Dhoni is 'a name that changed the face of Indian cricket, A name inspiring millions across the globe, A name with an undeniable legacy'.
