New Delhi: Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni turned 37 on Saturday, and warm birthday wishes poured in for him not just from the cricket fraternity but also from the fans all around the world.
Taking to his Twitter handle, Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings teammate and close friend Suresh Raina wrote that India was blessed on this day when “a legend’ like Dhoni was born.
“Walking out of your 500th international match & gracefully walking into the blessed day of India, when a legend like you was born! Wish you a very Happy Birthday brother @msdhoni ??You have been my inspiration & will always be! I cherish all our good times! #HappyBirthdayMSDhoni,” Raina tweeted.
Walking out of your 500th international match & gracefully walking into the blessed day of India, when a legend like you was born! Wish you a very Happy Birthday brother @msdhoni 🎂You have been my inspiration & will always be! I cherish all our good times! #HappyBirthdayMSDhoni pic.twitter.com/YinwMNSAgz
— Suresh Raina🇮🇳 (@ImRaina) July 6, 2018
Former Indian batsman V. V. S. Laxman also extended birthday wish to the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup-winning captain, saying, “Wishing you a very happy birthday @msdhoni .May you continue to entertain ,inspire and provide joy. #HappyBirthdayMSDhoni”
Wishing you a very happy birthday @msdhoni .May you continue to entertain ,inspire and provide joy.#HappyBirthdayMSDhoni pic.twitter.com/z1DbTUi1iS
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) July 6, 2018
Posting a picture of Dhoni at full stretch trying to avoid a stumping, former opener Virender Sehwag tweeted, “#HappyBirthdayMSDhoni . May your life be longer than this stretch and may you find happiness in everything, faster than your stumpings. Om Finishaya Namaha !”
#HappyBirthdayMSDhoni . May your life be longer than this stretch and may you find happiness in everything, faster than your stumpings. Om Finishaya Namaha ! pic.twitter.com/zAHCX33n1y
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) July 6, 2018
Left-arm pacer R. P. Singh listed out Dhoni’s achievements in his birthday wish, saying Dhoni was one of India’s greatest captains.
“2 World Cups, 1 Champions Trophy, 3 IPL Titles and the list just goes on. Happy Birthday to one of India’s greatest captains, @msdhoni! #HappyBirthdayMSDhoni” he tweeted.
2 World Cups, 1 Champions Trophy, 3 IPL Titles and the list just goes on. Happy Birthday to one of India's greatest captains, @msdhoni! #HappyBirthdayMSDhoni pic.twitter.com/4t3fNcFiuE
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) July 6, 2018
Meanwhile, fans of the ‘Captain Cool’ also extended their wishes on the micro-blogging platform.
“All I want from life and myself is be at least 1% as selfless as MS Dhoni, love my national despite all odds as he does, keep things simple as he does, embrace failures as he does, and just show a thumbs up to the success and move on, as he does,” wrote one user.
“I JUST WISHED MS A HAPPY BIRTHDAY. HE SMILED, SAW MY POSTER AND SMILED. What else could a fan ask for,” tweeted another fan.
Dhoni bid adieu to Test cricket in 2014 before stepping down from limited-overs captaincy in January 2017, thus handing the captaincy across all formats to Virat Kohli.
Dhoni has been one of the most successful captains in the world cricket, guiding the Indian team to the 2007 ICC T20 World Cup, the 2011 ICC World Cup, the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy triumphs among other acheivements.
On a related note, Dhoni contributed 32 runs from 24 deliveries faced in India’s defeat to England in the second of the three-match T20I series. The decisive finals match will be played in Cardiff on Sunday. (ANI)