India’s legendary wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni enjoyed a sensational run international cricket as he showcased his brilliance worldwide and guided the Men in Blue to numerous memorable triumphs. However, the Ranchi-born dasher made his international debut on this very day (December 23) in 2004. It was an ODI match against Bangladesh in Chattogram where Dhoni couldn’t leave much impact. Coming to bat at number seven, the wicket-keeper got run-out for a golden duck while trying to sneak a single. Ironically, Dhoni – who was heavily criticised for his poor call on debut – emerged as one of the brilliant runners between the wickets. MS Dhoni Fans Trend #16YearsOfIconicDhoni on Twitter To Celebrate 16th Anniversary.

After a dismal batting show on debut, the then youngster had a couple of more failures and was on the verge of getting dropped. However, he made a scintillating century against Pakistan in his 5th ODI and since then there was no looking back. The swashbuckler delivered regularly with bat and gloves and soon became the cornerstone of the national team across formats. MS Dhoni Shuts Down IPL Retirement Rumours.

In 2007, Dhoni surprisingly was handed over the captaincy of the national team for the inaugural T20 World cup, and he didn’t fail to deliver.  He made some unorthodox but spectacular decisions in the tournament and guided India to the title. Four years later, he guided the Men in Blue to the 50-over World Cup title as well – scoring a match-winning 91 against Sri Lanka in the finals.

Under his leadership, India also lifted the Champions Trophy 2013 – making Dhoni the first captain to win all three ICC trophies. Days passed, rules changed, but what remained constant is the right-handed batsman’s knack of performing under pressure.

His last appearance came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand where he got run-out after scoring a well-compiled half-century. Dhoni announced his international retirement on Independence Day earlier this year and brought curtains to an illustrious era. While he might not don the Blue Jersey again, he’ll continue to ply his trade for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in Indian Premier League (IPL).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 23, 2020 10:24 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).