Birthday special: MS Dhoni – Lesser known facts about the unrivalled legend

Former Indian skipper MS Dhoni enjoyed one of the most envious cricketing careers that saw him lead the Indian team to every accolade possible. While he charted unprecedented territory as a captain, his ability to finish off matches was second to none. It is nearly impossible to compile a list of facts about the Indian legend which is not only known to his loyal fans. However, we’ve tried to list some of the lesser-known facts about the national hero on his 42nd birthday.

A transition that changed the history of Indian cricket

The former Indian skipper might have made his name between the 22 yards, but he used to represent his school’s football team. He used to serve as a goalkeeper for the team before donning the wicketkeeping gloves. Despite his fledgling cricketing career, he was often seen playing football with his teammates during training sessions.

Mahi Racing Team

Dhoni’s affection for motorcycles is no secret to anyone, thanks to his lavish collection, featuring some vintage models. However, very few fans are aware of the fact that the former Indian skipper owns a motorcycle racing team. Named the Mahi Racing Team, Dhoni founded the team along with Telugu superstar Akkineni Nagarjuna. The team entered the  FIM Supersport World Championship, a 17-race championship in the 10th race at Brno, Czech Republic in 2013.

A mark of respect from the Indian army

MS Dhoni became only the second Indian skipper to lift the ODI World Cup after guiding the Indian team to glory in 2011. Soon after his historic accomplishment, the Indian army conferred him with the honorary title of Lieutenant Colonel. Incidentally, former Indian all-rounder and 1983 World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev is the only other cricketer to hold that title.