Indian wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni will celebrate his 38th birthday on July 7. The apex cricketing body, International Cricket Council (ICC) on Saturday eulogised the player, calling him a person who changed the face of Indian cricket. Dhoni has won all major cricketing accolades that one can achieve during their playing stint. He is the only international captain to have won ICC 50-over World Cup, T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy. He even led India to the number one ranking in both Test and ODI formats. He walked away with the Indian Premier League (IPL) title thrice with Chennai Super Kings. “A name that changed the face of Indian cricket, A name inspiring millions across the globe, A name with an undeniable legacy, MS Dhoni – not just a name! #CWC19 | #TeamIndia,In the clip, Indian skipper Virat Kohli and bowler Jasprit Bumrah are seen recalling how Dhoni has influenced their cricketing skills. “What you see from the outside is very different from how things happen within a person. He’s always calm and composed, there’s so much to learn from him. He was my captain and he will always be my captain. Our understanding has always been brilliant. I am always up for listening to his advice,” Kohli said. “When I came to the team in 2016, he was the captain. He’s a calming influence on the team and he’s always there to help,” Bumrah said. As the video begins, England wicket-keeper batsman Jos Buttler calls Dhoni Mr Cool and says the cricketyer has been his idol. “Obviously a fellow wicket-keeper, he has been my idol growing up. Mr Cool, I love his persona on the field, he has got lightning fast hands behind the stumps, he looks very calm when he bats. He is a huge ambassador for the game and I am a huge MS Dhoni fan, Jos Buttler says in the video. England’s all-rounder Ben Stokes heaped praise on Dhoni and said no one will ever be as good as him. Stokes had played alongside Dhoni for the Indian Premier League franchise Rising Pune Supergiants. “One of the greats of the game, phenomenal wicket-keeper. I don’t think anyone will be as good as him,” Ben Stokes said. Considered as India’s best finisher, Dhoni has been facing severe criticism for his baffling batting approach against England in the World Cup match on June 30. The player was not able to strike big blows in the match against Bangladesh as well. So far, Dhoni has 223 runs in the tournament and is hoped to spring a good performance with the bat against Sri Lanka. India takes on Sri Lanka at Leeds today.
