In a country where cricket is more than a national obsession, and where both God and the devil eat, sleep, and, most importantly, wear their hearts on their sleeves, Where the game takes on an almost obsessive tone, this 26-year-old from the backwaters of Jharkhand triggered an instant national celebration after guiding Team India to victory in the 2011 World Cup.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, or ‘Mahi,’ was born on July 7, 1981, in Ranchi, Bihar, to Pan Singh and Devaki Dev (now Jharkhand). Dhoni’s parents had relocated to Ranchi from Uttarakhand, where his father works as a junior manager for Mecon.

In his school, heDAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir School, Shyamali in Ranchi, where he shined in badminton and football and was picked at the regional and club levels in these sports. Dhoni was a goalie in his football team before being sent to play cricket for a small cricket club by his coach.

He served as a Train Ticket Examiner (TTE) in the Midnapore area of West Bengal from 2000 to 2003. He was open and honest. He did, however, have a mischievous side about him. He and his colleagues frightened the night guards by impersonating ghosts. This incident was even covered in the press the next day.

Dhoni was named to the Bihar U-19 team for the 1998-99 season and later made his Ranji Trophy debut for Bihar as an 18-year-old in the 1999-2000 season. At the time of his debut, he had a half-century. With some rousing performances in 2004, he became a genuine contender for national selection.

MS Dhoni, a strong batsman, has demonstrated the capacity to control his aggressive temperament and play responsibly when the occasion calls for it.