Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has got another feather in his cap. He has now become the most admired sports personality in India. Moreover, he has gone past the current Indian captain, Virat Kohli, and legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar.
According to a survey conducted by yougov.co.uk, Dhoni topped the race among sports stars with a score of 7.7 per cent. He stands second after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has topped the overall list.
After the Indian wicketkeeper in the limited-overs format, Tendulkar is next best at sixth position with 6.8 per cent, while Virat Kohli could only secure a score of 4.8 per cent.
Dhoni remains the most successful Indian cricket captain in Tests, winning 27 games and leading them to the No 1 spot in the ICC Rankings in 2009 for the first time ever. He has won the T20 World Cup 2007, the ICC World Cup 2011 and the ICC Champions Trophy 2013.
He retired from the Test cricket back in 2014 but still features in ODIs and T20Is. Though his recent performance in the England series drew criticism, he is still considered for the forthcoming cricket World Cup going to be held in 2019.
Apart from Indian cricketers, globally renowned footballers - Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi – are also adored in India. The survey stated that Ronaldo bagged 2.60 per cent votes Messi secured 2.00 per cent votes. Former English football captain, David Beckham is also on the list.
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