MS Dhoni, the only Indian captain in the history of cricket, to win the Cricket World Cup at home is set to return to the cricket field after a long hiatus as he gears up to play for the Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2020. Nicknamed as Thala by the local fans, Dhoni has been one of the best captains in the IPL having led CSK to three IPL championships.
Many fans believe that he is the reason behind the rise in popularity of T20 cricket and the birth of IPL because it was the Ranchi-based lad who inspired the Men in Blue to the T20 World Cup in 2007. Those who do not agree with the aforementioned statement should have a look at these 10 records that Dhoni owns in the IPL.
Most appearances in final
The IPL began in 2008 with Chennai Super Kings being its one of the eight franchises. Although Mumbai Indians hold the record of winning most titles, CSK own the record of most final appearances. But, MS Dhoni holds a unique record of playing most IPL finals. He has played in 9 out of the 12 IPL finals thus far, with one appearance coming for Pune.
Most Not Outs in IPL
Dhoni is a proven match-winner in T20 cricket and his finishing abilities are unmatched. The fact that he has been not out 65 times in IPL so far shows why he is one of the best.
Most sixes by an Indian player
In the rich history of IPL, several legendary Indian players have taken part in the competition. However, MS Dhoni holds the numero uno spot when it comes to hitting the most sixes as he has hit 209 maximums.
Most Matches as Captain
MS Dhoni has captained in almost every IPL match that he has played. Barring the 2017 IPL season, he was the captain of the team in all the 190 matches he played in.
17 Man of the Match awards
To win one Man of the Match award in an IPL match is the dream of every young cricketer. However, MS Dhoni has attained the legendary status in this department with 17 Player of the Match awards.
Most Runs in IPL at number 5
MS Dhoni is by far the best middle-order batsman in IPL history but he has achieved specialization in batting at number 5. At this position, Dhoni has scored 1,803 runs in 64 innings.
A 50+ score at every position he has batted
It is very tough for players to do well after losing their original batting position. But, MS Dhoni has achieved a unique feat of scoring a half-century at numbers 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 while batting in the IPL.
Only wicket-keeper to score more than 280 runs in every season
IPL demands the players to be consistent as well as match fit all the time. MS Dhoni has done both things like a master. He has managed to aggregate over 280 runs in all the IPL seasons so far.
Most Career Dismissals
MS Dhoni has showcased his magic behind the stumps in IPL with 133 dismissals in 194 matches. He has a per match dismissal rate of 0.72 which indicates how active he is behind the stumps.
Most Wins as Captain
The record which establishes MS Dhoni as the greatest IPL player of all time is his captaincy record. He has won 104 of the 174 games where he has led the team. This proves that Dhoni is the real ‘King’ of IPL.
