5 incredible statistics about MS Dhoni's captaincy

Indian Cricket has seen immense glory in the past decade and much of its credit has to be given to the skipper, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He took over as the captain when the team was in a devastating position after the 2007 World Cup debacle and he had a big responsibility to usher in a new sense of freshness in the team.

Nobody in their wildest dreams would have imagined that a simple boy from Ranchi with no cricketing background will provide India with such immense cricketing success in the coming years.

He always led from the front as the captain and his smart and quick thinking always left the opposition baffled. It was not only his bold decisions, but his charisma, both on the field and off the field, that gave the team a sense of positivity. His selfless character always ensured that team’s preference comes first.

Here are 5 incredible statistics about his captaincy. In addition to the great records, he also provided us with countless memories which cricket fans will never forget for a very long time to come.

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#1 Most successful Indian Test captain and 6^th overall

Even though Dhoni was more famous for his limited-overs performance and captaincy, his contribution to Test cricket cannot be easily ignored. He redefined Test cricket strategies and made his presence felt when he took to the field. Not only that, Dhoni also took India to the peak of Test rankings in 2009 which they managed to hold for an 18-month long period.

The swashbuckling wicket-keeper batsman is the most successful Indian Test captain after leading the team in 60 matches and winning 27 out of them. He has 6 more wins than his competitor Sourav Ganguly who managed to win 21 Tests during his stint as the Indian skipper.

The Jharkhand-born is also the 6^th most successful Test captain in the world having a win percentage of 45, which is also a testimony of his amazing leadership skills.

#2 Only captain to lead a team in 6 editions of ICC world T-20

The only captain to lead in 6 editions of World T-20

MS Dhoni has always been a fitness enthusiast and this is reflected from the fact that he has hardly missed out on any match due to injury or fitness issues. This allows him to focus properly on his captaincy which is of utmost importance in a short and quick T-20 format.

The right-handed batsman is an aggressive player and has always enjoyed playing the shortest format of the game. He has captained India in all 6 editions of the World T-20 championship which is a record in itself.

Starting from 2007, when the inaugural T-20 World cup was organized, he recently led the team in the 6^th edition where India lost to the West Indies in the semi-finals. The team came very close to winning their second title in 2014 but disappointingly lost to Sri Lanka in the final.

#3 Only captain to win all ICC trophies

M.S. Dhoni holds the record for wining all ICC trophies

India is a cricket fanatic country and there are always huge expectations when the team is participating in a major tournament. The pressure on the players is unimaginable and especially on the captain, who has the responsibility of leading the team.

The talismanic Indian skipper has always been regarded as a natural leader who can remain calm and composed in toughest of the situations. This was reflected after he led a young and inexperienced team to the World T-20 title by defeating the arch-rivals Pakistan in the finals in 2007.

He was at his best when India was playing the ICC 50-over World cup at home. He strategically guided his team to the prestigious title after a long gap of 28 years where he played a magnificent knock of 91 in the final against Sri Lanka.

He further went on to create history by leading his team to the ICC Champions trophy title in 2013 in England. There hasn’t been any other captain who has managed to achieve this feat and it is unlikely that this record will be broken.

#4 Only captain to lead his team in more than 50 games across all three formats

The only captain to lead the team in 50 plus games across all three formats

MS. Dhoni’s mental strength and capabilities have never been questioned and this is reflected in the way he operates on the cricket field. He is the only captain in the world to have captained the Indian team in more than 50 games across all three formats.

At the same time, he never compromised on his batting and always made sure that he contributed with the bat to teams’ success. His understanding of the game deserves an applause which helped him in achieving success in all three formats equally.

The 35-year-old is known for his instinctive decisions and smart thinking which ensured his superiority in all three formats. It’s not an easy task to manage three formats with so much efficiency and responsibility.

#5 Most games captained in International cricket

The ‘captain cool’ has led India in most number of International matches

The captain cool has had a stellar stint as the skipper of the Indian team as he managed to lead his side in a record number of international matches. Dhoni captained India in a total of 331 international matches that includes 199 ODI’s, 60 Tests and 72 T-20 internationals in a period of 9 years (2007-2016).

He managed to take over the legendary Australian skipper Ricky Ponting too who captained his team in 324 matches. These numbers speak for the man’s consistency and determination. His ability to adapt to different formats and changing times has helped him achieve this incredible feat.

He successfully portrayed all three roles of being a captain, a batsman and a wicket-keeper with utmost sincerity that makes him stand out among his competitors.