A 18 year-old MS Dhoni played in Ranji as a debutant for Bihar in 1999-2000, with a splendid defensive innings against Bengal in 2001. Rejected by the Railways cricket team in 2002, Dhoni helped his Jharkhand team defeat them by 115 runs at Alur Cricket Stadium Bangalore.

With impressive scores in Duleep Trophy and Ranji Trophy, Dhoni made his international debut against Bangladesh in an ODI at Chittagong on 23 December 2004

In 2005, Dhoni claimed his spot in team India with his 148 runs from 123 balls against Pakistan, and a match-winning knock of 183* against Sri Lanka.

On December 2, 2005 almost a year after making his ODI debut, MS Dhoni swiftly entered the Test arena with his debut against Sri Lanka in Chennai.

On 14th September, 2007, MS Dhoni took over the ODI captaincy from Rahul Dravid in the inaugural edition of the ICC World T20 and led India to win their memorable maiden World T20 over Pakistan

On September 2007, Dhoni equaled the international record of Adam Gilchrist for most dismissals (6) in an ODI innings.

On August 2008, as India won over the Lankans in a five-match series, Dhoni led India to their first ever bilateral series win on Lankan soil.

On August 2008, Dhoni was conferred the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award.

During the fourth and final test against Australia at Nagpur on November 2008, Dhoni made his debut as Team India's full-time test captain, replacing Anil Kumble, who was injured in the third test.

Dhoni received the honorable ICC ODI Player of the Year on 2008 and 2009 consecutively, becoming the only player to receive it twice

India topped the ICC Test cricket rankings for the first time in December 2009 under Dhoni's captaincy. Dhoni became the most prolific Indian Test captain with 27 Test wins, improving Sourav Ganguly's record of 21 wins.

Dhoni spearheaded Chennai Super Kings on April 25, 2010, to win their maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) by comfortably beating Mumbai Indians with 22 runs. And later the "Captain Cool" lifted the IPL Title twice in 2011, 2018.

In the ICC World Cup final, April 2011, Dhoni played his most memorable match-winning unbeaten knock 91 off 79 balls against Sri Lanka to help India lift the trophy after 28 years.

Following a tense rain-affected final against England on 23 June 2013, India lifted the 2013 Champions Trophy and MS Dhoni became the first captain to win all three ICC championships.

In February 2013, Dhoni made his first 200 in Tests scoring 224 off 365 balls, most runs by an Indian wicketkeeper in an innings surpassing Budhi Kunderan's 192, and India defeated Australia 4-0 at home for the first time in a Test series under him.

On April 2018 Dhoni walking in as a Lieutenant Colonel uniform received the Padma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian honour.

Following a fan poll, MS Dhoni received the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade for his decision to recall Ian Bell after a controversial run in 2011 Nottingham Test, and the captain of the T20I and ODI men's teams of the decade.