Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, becoming the 11th Indian cricketer to receive the prestigious honour. The announcement was made during a formal ceremony in London on Monday. Dhoni became eligible for induction five years after his retirement from international cricket in 2020.
The ICC Hall of Fame honours players who have left a lasting legacy on the sport — a standard MS Dhoni exceeds across all measures of captaincy, batting, and wicketkeeping. He represented India in 538 international matches across formats, scoring 17,266 runs and recording 829 dismissals as a wicketkeeper, during his 16-year international career.
He joins the elite Hall of Fame Class of 2025 alongside Hashim Amla (South Africa), Matthew Hayden (Australia), Graeme Smith (South Africa), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), Sana Mir (Pakistan) and Sarah Taylor (England).
Dhoni made his international debut in December 2004 and announced himself with a century against Pakistan in April 2005. In 2007, he was named captain of India’s T20 team and led a young Indian squad to victory in the inaugural ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He later took over the ODI and Test captaincy, becoming a central figure in India’s rise across formats.
As captain, MS Dhoni guided India to several major milestones, including the 2011 ICC ODI World Cup title and the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy. He is the only men’s captain to have won all three global ICC white-ball trophies, making him the most successful white-ball captain in the sport’s history. Under his leadership, India also reached the No. 1 position in the ICC Test rankings for the first time in December 2009.
With the bat, Dhoni scored 10,773 runs in ODIs at an average of 50.57. His 183* (not out) against Sri Lanka in 2005 remains the highest individual score by a wicketkeeper in men’s ODIs. He also became the fastest player to reach No. 1 in the ICC ODI batting rankings, achieving the milestone in his 40th match.
Behind the stumps, Dhoni holds the record for most stumpings in ODI history, with 123. His quick reflexes and unconventional style set new standards for modern wicketkeeping, particularly in limited-overs formats. In Tests, his highest score was 224 against Australia in Chennai in 2013, contributing to a series win.
Reflecting on the honour, MS Dhoni said: “It is an honour to be named in the ICC Hall of Fame, which recognises the contributions of cricketers across generations and from all over the world. To have your name remembered alongside such all-time greats is a wonderful feeling—something I will cherish forever.”
The ICC Chairman, Mr Jay Shah, added, commemorating the occasion: “Through the ICC Hall of Fame, we pay tribute to the finest players the game has seen—individuals whose remarkable careers have shaped cricket’s legacy and inspired generations. On behalf of the ICC, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to each of them and hope they cherish this well-deserved recognition as a defining moment in their cricketing journey.”
In India, the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) held a felicitation ceremony in Ranchi to mark the occasion, highlighting Dhoni’s longstanding ties to his home state. With this induction, Dhoni joins a distinguished list of Indian legends in the ICC Hall of Fame, including Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid, Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag, Bishan Singh Bedi, Vinoo Mankad, Diana Edulji, and Neetu David.
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