One man and three World triumphs: MS Dhoni came quietly but conquered the cricket world

Cricket in India is nothing less than a religion, probably the greatest religion in this country as it has the power to unite the country like nothing else. When India takes the field, the entire country comes together irrespective of their caste, religion or colour. The entire country that bleeds blue unanimously prays for those 11 heroes who represent the tricolor and give every ounce of their sweat and blood to make the world's largest democracy proud. There are loads of reasons to love the sport and maybe this is one of the biggest reasons.

For a generation of cricket fans, MS Dhoni is not just a name, it's an emotion, an emotion that the man has become over a period of time. MS Dhoni's heroics are legendary and it is safe to say that his achievements are hard to replicate. It is July 7 once again and it marks the 42nd birthday of the man who has seen it all and has led India to three ICC titles.

One man and three World triumphs in the Indian blue

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India slipped into euphoria when Kapil Dev first won the World Cup in 1983, a triumph that changed the landscape of Indian cricket. The men in blue then had to wait for 28 more years for their next world title. 'In the air, Sreesanth takes it' to 'Dhoni finishes off in style', these are the golden pages in the chapters of Indian cricket and all of them came under MS Dhoni's leadership.

The iconic moment of Dhoni's World Cup winning six to Nuwan Kulasekara and the bat twirl that followed will be replayed over and over again by generations to come and everytime it is replayed, it will inflict the same sense of patriotism and pride. MS Dhoni certainly has led India to three world titles but it is the man's greatness that it keeps the nation wanting for more. A legendary career that started with a run-out came full circle when it ended in the same way. Dhoni came silently and walked away from the Indian jersey quietly. 

MS Dhoni the adopted boy of Chennai

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On December 23, 2004, when a long-haired guy from Ranchi walked on to the field for the first time for India in international cricket, little did anybody know that he will become a legend and the finest captain that India has ever seen or produced. It is almost astonishing how a guy from Jharkhand has become Chennai's prodigal son and has given them innumerable moments of pride and joy. There is much more to MS Dhoni than his gigantic sixes.

When MS Dhoni walks out with the iconic number 7 inscribed on his shirt, the nation stops just to witness the grandeur that the man carries with him. At the age of 41 MS Dhoni led the Chennai Super Kings to their 5th IPL title. Little did anybody give CSK the chance to replicate their heroics from 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021 but there was one man who had unfazed belief in his vision and the capabilities of his players. It is almost surprising how he manages to bring out the best in his teammates.  

The kids of the 90s have been plain lucky to witness the man's greatness on the cricket field. A guy who mostly batted at number 7 throughout his career managed to score more than 10,000 ODI runs, a feat that certainly will never be replicated. As far as his lightning-fast stumpings and immaculate DRS calls are mentioned, it is certainly nothing less than a masterclass.

Many have tried to replicate his style of executing stuff behind the wicket, but everybody tends to forget that there will always be one MS Dhoni.