Rare, unseen photos of CSK skipper MS Dhoni

With three ICC trophies under his belt, MS Dhoni is widely regarded as one of cricket's greatest captains. Throughout his illustrious decade-long career, Dhoni has amassed a plethora of achievements with the bat. He made his debut in international cricket in December 2004 and recently announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket in 2020. 

This year, Dhoni secured a record-equalling fifth Indian Premier League (IPL) title while representing the Chennai Super Kings. As Dhoni celebrates his 42nd birthday today, let's take a glimpse into some unseen photos of the World Cup-winning skipper.

During his schooling years, Dhoni can be seen in a captivating photo session. He is positioned second from the top right, exuding an air of confidence and charm.

A passport-sized photo of Dhoni taken during his school years.

Dhoni participated in a photo session after emerging victorious in an inter-school tournament in 1997.

Dhoni pictured with his school team wearing goggles.

Before Dhoni began his cricket career, he was an avid football player. It was during this time that his exceptional goalkeeping abilities caught the attention of his coach. Recognizing his talent, the coach made a pivotal decision and entrusted Dhoni with wicketkeeping gloves, marking the beginning of his journey as a cricketer.

This photograph captures a significant moment in 1999, marking Dhoni's debut for Bihar in the Ranji Trophy. In the image, Dhoni can be seen sporting a cap, positioned in the bottom left corner.

Coach Utpal Chatterjee inspecting Dhoni's bat during a Ranji match in January 2001.

This photograph captures a significant moment from the 2002-03 Duleep Trophy, where Dhoni was chosen to replace wicketkeeper Deep Das Gupta in the final match. Notably, Dhoni showcased his exceptional skills by scoring a remarkable half-century during the second innings of this game.

Dhoni made his One Day International (ODI) debut against Bangladesh on December 23, 2004, in Chattogram.

On April 5, 2005, Dhoni scored his first century in his career during the second One Day International (ODI) of the Pakistan tour. He played a remarkable innings, scoring 148 runs off 155 balls.

On October 31, 2005, Dhoni played his best innings of his ODI career against Sri Lanka in Jaipur. He scored 183 runs with the help of 10 sixes and 15 fours in just 210 balls.