Watch: Hardik Pandya pays ultimate tribute to MS Dhoni on his birthday

Batting great Sachin Tendulkar said, "Wish you a happy birthday @msdhoni! Have a great year. All the very best for the next two games." A day after present captain Virat Kohli and bowling star Jasprit Bumrah shared their fondness for Dhoni, former opener Virender Sehwag posted a heartfelt tweet.

"7 continents in the World 7 days in a week 7 colours in a rainbow 7 basic musical notes 7 chakras in a human being 7 pheras in a marriage 7 wonders of the world 7 th day of 7th month - Birthday of a wonder of the cricketing world #HappyBirthdayDhoni . May God Bless You!" Sehwag tweeted.

Ace spinner Harbhajan Singh wrote on his twitter handle, "Happy birthday @msdhoni best wishes going forward." Sakshi uploaded pictures from inside the celebrations, which show Dhoni's face smeared with cake. In another post, Dhoni can be seen cutting three cakes with Ziva while the others surround him.

." All-rounder Kedar Jadhav wrote, "Happy birthday @msdhoni (mahibhai) words are not enough to express my love for u wish u all the success and happiness and health in life God bless u always." Off-spinner Ashwin Ravichandran said, "Here is wishing one of the best in the business @msdhoni a very very happy birthday." There were many former players who wished the man, who led India to three ICC world titles besides taking them to the top of the Test ranking for the first time.

"Wishing @msdhoni all the very best in life. Luck , Love and Success #HappyBirthdayDhoni," said VVS Laxman.

Mohammad Kaif said, "First played together in Bangladesh in 2004 & shortly saw him announce his arrival against Pak at Vizag when he scored 148, hasn't looked back since and the legend of MS Dhoni has only grown by the year. Wishing a once in a lifetime player and captain,#HappyBirthdayDhoni." Pragyan Ojha wrote, "Many happy returns of the day mahi bhai! God bless you @msdhoni #HappyBirthdayDhoni."

Wriddhiman Saha wrote on his handle, "Can you recognise us? Happy Birthday @msdhoni bhai! May you have a wonderful year ahead!" R P Singh said, "Serving Indian cricket since so many years and still looking as fit as ever! Happy birthday brother @msdhoni best wishes for your well-being." Referring to his abilities as a finisher, ex-India opener Aakash Chopra said, "If ever there's a book on cricket, the finishing chapter will be written by Dhoni." Former Sri Lanka all-rounder Russel Arnold said, "Happy Birthday to Cricket Thala @msdhoni Keep it cool MS !!!!" The ICC posted a video celebrating Dhoni's achievements on the eve of his birthday, applauding the World Cup winning captain for changing "the face of Indian cricket".

 In the grey sideburns lies his cricketing wisdom that Virat Kohli so banks upon and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who turned 38 on Sunday, is all pumped to empty his tank and buy himself the best birthday gift possible -- another World Cup triumph.
One of the freeze-frame moments of Indian cricket is Sunil Gavaskar raising Kapil Dev's hands at the Lord's balcony on June 25, 1983.

The best birthday present for Dhoni would certainly be Kohli and Rohit Sharma carrying their 'skipper' on a lap of honour at the Mecca of Cricket.
That is if India make it to the final and then go the distance. Also, that is only if Dhoni sheds off his reluctance to let the emotions flow on what could be the most poignant day of his fascinating career.

"We might celebrate his birthday on the bus on our way to Manchester," Rohit Sharma said when a vernacular journalist kept on funnily 'probing' the Indian vice-captain to say something on the legend's birthday.
Skipper Kohli has time and again reiterated that Dhoni remains "his captain", and it is no different in this whole Indian team set-up where the he enjoys unstinted support.
 

The team is insulated from all the talk surrounding his waning abilities as a batsman and the players trust their 'mentor'.
He remains the good old banyan tree under which the players find their shade and, at times, a bit of warmth, when professional sport becomes ruthless and lonely.
Whether its Kuldeep Yadav or Yuzvendra Chahal being tonked by Jonny Bairstow or Angelo Mathews launching into Bhuvneshwar Kumar, they know that someone would sprint those 30 yards from behind the stumps, put an arm around their shoulder, and may be whisper a couple of words.
It works like magic on occasions. On occasions, it's just an assurance with unspoken words, 'Don't worry, you belong here'.
Mohammed Shami disclosed after his hat-trick against Afghanistan that Dhoni's suggestion to bowl yorker was spot on. Kohli's conditioned reflex is to look behind the stumps for approval while taking a decision review.

He does it for the team and no wonder they are all ready to cast a protective shield around their captain at the slightest hint of criticism about his recent batting approach.
Any reaction sought about Dhoni's form is met with various counter-reactions nonchalance by Ravi Shastri, shock by Sanjay Bangar, or, at worst, irritation by Kohli, depending on who's answering that question.
It's not a planned strategy. Perhaps, it's more to do with the kind of respect he commands in that Indian change room.
India are within sniffing distance of winning another World Cup. And more than anything else now, the team would not mind a return gift for the next one week -- Dhoni's wisdom.