Happy Birthday MS Dhoni: The 'Captain Cool' Moments Which Makes Him The THALA Of Cricket

Dhoni hitting the World Cup six against Sri Lanka at the 2011 World Cup tournament

For a finish, dial Dhoni: Chennai Super Kings as a team has always been synonymous with Mahendra Singh Dhoni and there’s a very good reason for that as well. When the team was staring down at elimination from the 2010 season even before the semifinals, Dhoni decided to play one of the most spectacular T20 knocks ever as he smashed two towering sixes off Irfan Pathan to take CSK into the semi finals of the IPL. It was a moment where even the calm and composed Dhoni showed emotion as he gave himself a punch to ensure that what he did was actually real!

People have been in awe of his wicket-keeping skills. If 'Thalla' is behind the stumps it is very likely that you will see his superman skills. The lightning fast stumping has given the Indian team major winnings moments.

MS Dhoni and his men beat England in the final to win the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 without losing a single match. India faced England in the title round. They lost the toss, faced abominable weather, had to wait all day for their innings and finally lost quick wickets. Dhoni himself was out for a duck for the first time after 44 innings. However, India fought back and surprised their fans with the winning streak.

The six that sealed Asia Cup: Bangladesh had emerged as a strong outfit in home conditions. They crossed the Pakistan and Sri Lanka hurdles to make it to the final of the tournament. Dhawan scored a crucial 60 and Kohli supported him with a quick 44. Dhoni promoted himself and launched himself on the Bangladeshis. The 14th over started with a Dhoni six and ended with a four and another six to seal the trophy. India had won the first ever Asia Cup T20 and the tournament for the sixth time. Not for the first time he smacked a six to seal a win and surely this won’t be the last time…

MS Dhoni celebrates after winning ICC World T20 2007. In a watershed moment for cricket, thirteen years ago, MS Dhoni-led India won the first-ever Twenty20 World Cup defeating arch-rivals Pakistan in a thrilling final by five runs at Johannesburg's Wanderers Stadium.

The Dhoni captaincy moment when he let Sourav Ganguly captain the side for a few overs in his farewell Test. It was clear, even at that early stage, that Dhoni was a fantastic man manager and came to the fore with no egos and baggage attached.

When he abandoned the keeping pads and brought himself on to bowl four overs of military medium against Sri Lanka in the 2013 Champions Trophy. The roar when Mahela Jayawardene was given out LBW off his second ball was really quite something; DRS ultimately spoiled the moment, but this was truly something only Dhoni would have done.

The double ton at Chepauk: All the attention and focus was on Sachin Tendulkar as he neared his 100th international hundred at the Chepauk in Chennai against Australia. But as Sachin fell at 81, Dhoni walked in to join Kohli and the two put together a massive stand to steady the Indian innings before Kohli departed after scoring his 100. But Dhoni marched on and recorded his maiden test match double hundred in just 231 deliveries!