 "MS Dhoni has applied for the 'Captain Cool' trademark. Image: PTI")
Former India cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has taken a big legal step to officially own the nickname ‘Captain Cool’, which fans and media have used to describe him for many years.
According to public records from Intellectual Property India, MS Dhoni applied for the trademark on 5th June 2023, under Class 41, which includes services like sports training, coaching, and training facilities.
The application is now marked as “Accepted and Advertised”, which means it has passed the first review and has been published in the official journal. This stage gives others a chance to oppose it before it gets final approval.
If no one challenges it, Dhoni will officially own the rights to use the term ‘Captain Cool,’ which will help him launch sports academies, fitness brands, or training camps under the same name in the future.
Dhoni wasn’t the first to file
Interestingly, Dhoni’s application is not the first one for this nickname. Back in July 2021, a company named Prabha Skill Sports (OPC) Private Limited had already applied to trademark ‘Captain Cool’ for online gaming and gaming services.
Their application (No. 5048887) was also filed under Class 41, but its current status is shown as “Rectification Filed.” This means that some legal issue or correction has been raised against it, possibly due to a conflict with Dhoni’s application.
The original application by Prabha Skill Sports may face cancellation or changes, especially if Dhoni’s team challenges its similarity.
MS Dhoni was last seen in action during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. He captained the Chennai Super Kings once again after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad got injured mid-season. CSK finished at the bottom of the IPL 2025 points table, their worst result in history.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsDhoni was playing this year’s IPL as an uncapped player because he hadn’t represented India in five years. Dhoni retired from international cricket in August 2020, a year after India got knocked out of the semi-finals of the Cricket World Cup. Since then, he only plays in the IPL.