Cricket
From IPL Debut to Legend: The Journey of the Best Player in IPL History
Find out more about Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s journey to stardom in the Indian Premier League.
Image Credit: BCCI Twitter (X) Account
SportsBoom has trawled through the statistics and found one name that stands above the rest: Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
MS Dhoni is a remarkable player, a batting powerhouse. Dhoni has been destroying bowling attacks his entire career, none more so than in the death overs.
His calmness and composure have served India and Chennai Super Kings well. A peerless captain, Dhoni leads with distinction.
He has won every trophy on offer in international and franchise cricket as a skipper, which is unmatched.
He has a sharp cricket brain, which accounts for a lethal combination on the field. He owns every piece of team and individual silverware.
India and Chennai's trophy cabinets are full, testimony to his extraordinary leadership skills and playing ability.
Dhoni's rise from his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut to legend is an incredible journey, making him the best cricketer in IPL history.
Cricketers Who Debuted in the 2008 IPL and Will Play IPL 2024
Player Name | Current Franchises |
|---|---|
MS Dhoni | Chennai Super Kings |
Rohit Sharma | Mumbai Indians |
Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
Ajinkya Rahane | Chennai Super Kings |
Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings |
Ravichandran Ashwin | Rajasthan Royals |
Shikhar Dhawan | Punjab Kings |
Piyush Chawla | Mumbai Indians |
Amit Mishra | Lucknow Super Giants |
Manish Pandey | Delhi Capitals |
Dinesh Karthik | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
Ishant Sharma | Delhi Capitals |
Wriddhiman Saha | Gujarat Titans |
Rishi Dhawan | Punjab Kings |
Swapnil Singh Royal | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
Mahendra Singh Dhoni: The Journey of the Best Player in IPL History
MS Dhoni's journey from debut to legend and best player in IPL history was cemented in 2023 when he captained Chennai Super Kings to a record-equalling fifth Indian Premier League title.
Dhoni is not only an Indian cricket legend but a legend of world cricket. He is one of the most decorated international players.
Ranchi-born Dhoni led India to victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup, the 2007 ICC World Twenty20, and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy.
The “Captain of Cool” is the only player to win all three ICC international limited-overs tournaments as skipper.
He also captained the teams that won the Asia Cup in 2010 and 2016 and was a member of the title-winning squad in 2018.
Image Credits: Foundit.in
Dhoni is the Best Cricketer in IPL History
Dhoni's IPL career is unmatched. The wicket-keeper batsman has played in 10 IPL finals, lifting the trophy a tremendous five times for Chennai.
Dhoni was the most expensive signing in the inaugural 2008 IPL auction and is still playing in 2024, the tournament's 17th edition.
He became the first player to play 200 T20 matches for the Super Kings and holds the record for most appearances in the world's premier T20 competition (252 games - 227 as captain).
'Thala', as he's more affectionately known, has scored the seventh-most runs in IPL history, with the fourth-highest average (38.79) and the fifth-best strike rate (135.92).
The former CSK captain holds the records for most dismissals (180), the most catches (147) and stumpings (42) by a wicket-keeper in the competition's history.
Dhoni was also the first player to reach 300 dismissals when he stumped Shubman Gill in the 2023 IPL final.
Gill’s dismissal is Dhoni’s fastest ever stumping in any format of limited-overs cricket.
King of the Death Overs
Dhoni tops the list of 'kings of the death overs' with the most runs and sixes. He has scored 2,631 runs in the death overs, including 162 sixes.
Dhoni is also fourth-most for career sixes (239), making him the undisputed best finisher in IPL history and best player in IPL history.
FAQs about the IPL
Which is the best cricket team in IPL history?
The Chennai Super Kings are the equal-most successful team in IPL history, with five franchise titles shared with the Mumbai Indians.
The Super Kings have played in 14 of the 16 completed tournaments. They have 10 finals appearances, winning half and losing five.
CSK has only finished lower than third-place three times.
Who is the most successful captain in IPL history?
MS Dhoni is the most successful captain in IPL history, winning five of the 10 finals he’s skippered for CSK.
Who has won the most IPL trophies as a player?
Rohit Sharma and Ambati Rayudu are the two players who have won the most IPL trophies as players.
Both the players have won the IPL title six times, more than any other players.
Dhoni, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, Kieron Pollard, and Aditya Tara have all won five titles.
Who has the most runs in IPL History?
Virat Kohli has scored the most runs in IPL history. Kohli has scored 7,361 runs in 239 IPL matches from 2008 to 2024.
Arguably, one of India’s greatest ever players, Kohli has also scored the most centuries in IPL history, one more than Chris Gayle (6).
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Kaylan Geekie is a sports fanatic. He attended Durban High School before moving to Scotland, where he lived for 15 years. During his time in the United Kingdom, Kaylan graduated with a first-class BA Honours Degree in Sports Journalism at the University of the West of Scotland. Kaylan worked for nine years as the Match-Day Editor of SuperXV.com, reporting on Super Rugby, The Rugby Championship, the 2015 Men's Rugby World Cup and the 2017 British & Irish Lions series for the website.