MS Dhoni reveals why he selected No. 7 for his jersey

He revealed that it corresponds to the day his dad and mom determined he could be born on Earth, making it a simple selection for him to choose his jersey quantity.

The No. 7 jersey holds vital symbolism for Dhoni, who led India to World Cup glory in 2007 (T20) and 2011 (ODI). In recognition of his immense contributions to Indian cricket, the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) retired the No. 7 jersey in December 2023.

Throughout a latest occasion, Dhoni was requested to expose the explanation behind his selection of the quantity seven. Famend for his fast wit, the Indian cricket legend offered the reason at a promotional operate.

“That’s the time or day my dad and mom determined I’d come on earth. So, I used to be born on the seventh of July. So July once more, the seventh month. 81 was the yr so 8-1=7. So it was very straightforward for me to go on the market after they requested me, ‘okay, what quantity would you like’,” Dhoni mentioned.

Dhoni is broadly thought to be one of many best white-ball cricketers in historical past. Hailing from Ranchi, he initially gained recognition for his explosive batting prowess earlier than cementing his repute as one of many biggest finishers the sport has seen.

In his illustrious profession, the 42-year-old featured in 350 ODIs for India, accumulating 10,773 runs at a powerful common of fifty.57 and a strike fee of 87.56, together with 10 centuries and 73 half-centuries. Dhoni additionally represented India in 90 Assessments and 98 T20Is, scoring 4,876 and 1,617 runs respectively. He captained India to their final ICC trophy victory — the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.

As he gears up for the upcoming version of the Indian Premier League (IPL), Dhoni has been honing his expertise within the nets. Beneath his management, CSK clinched a record-equalling fifth title triumph in 2023.