 "MS Dhoni had represented India in 90 Tests, 350 ODIs and 98 T20Is in a 15-year international career in which he scored more than 15,000 runs and effected 829 dismissals behind the stumps. AFP")
Legendary Indian wicketkeeper-batter and former captain MS Dhoni was on Monday among the seven cricketers inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame. Dhoni, who had helped India three ICC events including the 2011 World Cup on home soil, has been bestowed with the honour six years after bringing the curtains down on his international career, and is the 11th Indian included in the Hall of Fame.
“Celebrated for his calm under pressure and unmatched tactical nous, but also a trailblazer in the shorter formats, MS Dhoni’s legacy as one of the game’s greatest finishers, leaders and wicketkeepers has been honoured with his induction into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame,” read an International Cricket Council statement.
“With 17,266 international runs, 829 dismissals and 538 matches across formats for India, Dhoni’s numbers reflect not just excellence but extraordinary consistency, fitness and longevity,” it added.
MSD cherishes ‘a wonderful feeling’
Dhoni responded to the honour by stating that it is something that he will “cherish forever”.
“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. It is something that I will cherish forever,” Dhoni, who continues to play for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League, said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsThe ICC had inducted five men and two women into its Hall of Fame on Monday. Australian batting legend Matthew Hayden, ex-South Africa captain Graeme Smith and his former teammate Hashim Amla and New Zealand spin icon Daniel Vettori were included alongside Dhoni among the men.
As for the women, former Pakistan captain Sana Mir and ex-England wicketkeeper-batter Sarah Taylor.
“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,” ICC Chairman Jay Shah, who welcomed the new members to the Hall of Fame at an event in London, said in an official statement.
“This year, we are privileged to induct seven truly outstanding individuals into this prestigious group. 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," he added.
Kapil Dev, the only other player to lead India to an ODI World Cup triumph, as well as batting icons Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar are some of the other Indian cricketers who have been inducted into the ICC Hall Of Fame.