MS Dhoni birthday: CSK captain's shooting skills spot on as hitting sixes at will; WATCH

Former India captain MS Dhoni celebrates his 39th birthday on Tuesday, July 7, 2020. 'Captain Cool' has enjoyed a stellar career at the international level and is the only captain to win all three ICC trophies as captain. Tributes and wishes from fans and teammates have flown on the occasion of MS Dhoni birthday, and his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vice-captain Suresh Raina penned a heartfelt tribute on Twitter along with an MS Dhoni shooting video. 

Also Read: MS Dhoni Birthday: Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri Lead Heartwarming Wishes For 'Captain Cool'

MS Dhoni birthday: Suresh Raina shares MS Dhoni shooting video

CSK star Suresh Raina hailed his long-time captain, MS Dhoni, on his birthday, and claimed that the wicket-keeper batsman always plays with his mind and heart. The 2011 World Cup winner said that Dhoni is the best human, leader and brother he could have asked for. Raina thanked MS Dhoni for all the inspiration he’s given and shared a video montage of some of the finest moments he’s shared with the 39-year-old. In another tweet, Suresh Raina showcased MS Dhoni’s love for the army, sharing an MS Dhoni shooting video where the 2007 T20 World Cup-winning skipper attempted to hit the bullseye with a rifle. The MS Dhoni shooting video saw the former Indian captain hit the bullseye at will, just like how he clears the boundary with ease on the pitch. 

MS Dhoni birthday: Former India captain's shooting ritual 

MS Dhoni’s fixation with the army dates back to the 1999 Kargil War according to close aide and manager Arun Pandey. In a chat with ESPNCricinfo's The Cricket Monthly, Pandey revealed that Dhoni being given the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army in 2011 was one of the CSK skipper's proudest moments in life. He added that the former Indian captain travels in camouflage pants, with camouflage luggage and his wicket-keeping gloves are a tribute to the armed forces.

Furthermore, an army acquaintance rated Dhoni's knowledge of aircrafts and the army. He stated that the CSK captain can hit a bullseye from 25m every time he takes a rifle, a fact that is evident in the MS Dhoni shooting video. Dhoni experiments with situations and tries shooting with left and right hands, and once defeated Glenn McGrath who is well known for his skill at skeet shooting. The report further states that 2011 World Cup-winning skipper has a ritual of shooting on January 1, which he completes without fail no matter which part of the world he's in. 

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MS Dhoni birthday: MS Dhoni's love for the army 

The CSK skipper's love for the armed forces also dictates his behaviour. Dhoni only allows one round of food to be ordered first as no food should be wasted and derives respect for authority through his compassion for the army. Former India captain Rahul Dravid said that Dhoni never liked training but would always be on time for the swimming pool session despite him not liking it. He added that the 39-year-old is a free thinker but liked structure like the army. He stated that Dhoni's calm and cool demeanour in games comes from the army man within him and his ability to do the job without fuss and expecting his fellow teammates to toughen up can all be attributed to that. 

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MS Dhoni birthday: MS Dhoni stats

MS Dhoni is India's fifth-highest run-getter in ODIs, only behind Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Virat Kohli. The MS Dhoni stats paint a stunning picture of his incredible contribution to Indian cricket, with the CSK captain scoring 10,773 runs in 350 matches at an astonishing average of 50.57. In 90 Test matches, Dhoni has scored 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09. Under his captaincy, India played 200 ODIs, winning 110 of those, and lifted the 2011 World Cup along with the 2013 Champions Trophy. In T20Is, Dhoni captained India 72 times, winning 41 games while in Tests he led India to 27 wins in 60 matches. In total, he captained the Indian team for a record 332 matches, the most in international cricket history. 

Also Read: MS Dhoni Birthday: CSK Captain's Total IPL Earnings Nearly 1/5th Of Cricketer's Net Worth

(Image Credit: Suresh Raina Twitter)