3 Olympic sports MS Dhoni would have been good at if he wasn't a cricketer

As the 2024 Paris Olympics concludes in the upcoming weekend, cricket fans have already begun looking ahead to the next edition in Los Angeles when cricket will be part of the mega event. Indian cricket fans have also been wondering how several current and former greats would have performed in some of the existing sports in the Olympics.

Central among those names is former Indian captain MS Dhoni, who might have been one of India's most successful Olympians if cricket was involved. The 43-year-old captained India to three ICC titles between 2007 and 2013 and should those events be considered Olympic tournaments, it would have equated to three gold medals.

Nevertheless, given his incredible skills in front of and behind the wicket over a prolonged period in cricket, Dhoni could have certainly lit up several other sporting events already being played at the Olympics.

It is a no-brainer that cricket involves several skills tangibly and intangibly that are intertwined with other sports and someone as accomplished as Dhoni would have excelled in different ways in many of them.

On that note, let us look at three Olympic sports MS Dhoni could have starred in had he not been a cricketer in a hypothetical exercise.

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#1 Football

There are several reasons why MS Dhoni and football would have gone hand in hand.

Here's an interesting fact: The Jharkhand-born cricketer was originally interested in football and even participated in district-level competitions as a goalkeeper. Anticipation, sideways movement, and the ability to remain focused under pressure are a few of the key attributes of a football goalkeeper.

Having watched Dhoni exhibit these skills behind the stumps as a wicketkeeper to a moving or turning ball almost better than anyone, one can see him easily be a superstar goalkeeper for the Indian football team.

The goalkeeper is arguably the most important position in a football team with his performance often dictating the eventual outcome. Dhoni has played a similar role to inimitable success on the cricket field, walking in as the finisher upon whom the game is decided in a run-chase,

Hence, both tangibly with his wicket-keeping skills and intangibly his welcoming of the pressure that comes with the result hinging mostly upon his performances as a finisher, Dhoni would have been the ideal fit as a football goalkeeper.

With India not among the global forces in football and not qualifying since 1960, Dhoni's presence as a key player and a leader might have been the perfect match made in Olympic heaven.

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#2 Badminton

Another sport MS Dhoni has displayed interest in over the years is Badminton and how India would have loved to have him in the Men's Olympic event.

While India has produced several world-class male and female badminton superstars, their three Olympic medals have come only from the latter in the form of PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal.

Over the years, several videos have floated around with Dhoni showcasing his prowess with the badminton racket on the court.

Given his impeccable footwork and terrific hand-eye coordination, it is easy to see why Dhoni took to the sport in his younger days and during his off-time even in his cricket playing days.

Even some of his flat-batted shots and wristy flicks would have been more than handy in singles or doubles Badminton and who better than Dhoni in outthinking the opposition in a one-on-one battle which is often what last overs in cricket come down to.

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#3 Shot Put

What comes to mind straightaway when we think of MS Dhoni? Strong hands, powerful wrists, and big muscles. All three qualities form the crux of 'Shot Put' - the Track and Field Event at the Olympics.

While India's best - Tajinderpal Singh has brought the sport to the forefront with his incredible achievements at several Asian Games, the Olympic Medal is still missing.

With the ability to generate enormous muscle power, leading to massive sixes in cricket, Dhoni could have perhaps thrown and gone the distance in Shot Put had he pursued a career in the sport.