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The BEST role you like Dhoni in. Vote!

August 27, 2015 09:20 IST

Over the last seven years Indian cricket has become synonymous with one name. Mahendra Singh Dhoni. 

Just a little under a decade, under his leadership skills and motivation, India attained the zenith in world cricket. 

Under his captaincy, India won all the big ICC events, starting with the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup, the 50-over World Cup in 2011 and then the 2013 Champions Trophy.

The Ranchi-born player's biggest achievement to date is taking India to the number one ranking in Test cricket in 2009.

Personally, too, he's done well for  himself.

The 34-year-old was the only Indian sportsman in Forbes magazine's list of 100 highest-paid athletes in the world, with earnings worth 31 million.

Now, while his former teammates, under skipper Virat Kohli, are busy plotting a victory in the third Test against Sri Lanka, starting in Colombo on Friday, to register India's first series triumph in the island nation in 22 years, the One-day captain is enjoying a lot of 'me time'.

Away from the cricket field, Dhoni wears many hats, and we want you to pick the avatar that suits him best.

Scroll through the images below, click and vote for the BEST role you like Dhoni in.

1. Lt Colonel Dhoni

MS Dhoni

 

An honorary member of the Indian army, Dhoni had a memorable week in Agra at a training camp with soldiers earlier this month.

The Lt Colonel completed his first parachute jump from an Indian Air Force aircraft as part of his training with the Territorial Army.

The ace cricketer underwent training in Para Jumping by the Para Training School on August 5, at the Para Brigade, in Agra, for the event.

In 2011 he donned the uniform of a commando as he was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Parachute Regiment. He was conferred the honour for outstanding contribution in the field of sports and his commitment to the army on various occasions.

2. The doting dad

MS Dhoni with wife and daughter

 

We have seen his wife, Sakshi,  at cricket matches often. Now, be prepared to see more of their daughter.

Having spent much time away from his little angel, the doting father that he is, Dhoni made up for it by travelling with Ziva to all the venues for this season’s Indian Premier League.

3. The bike collector

MS Dhoni

 

A big fan of speed bikes and fast cars, Dhoni purchased the X132 Hellcat in 2012.

'Just came back after my 1st ride on hellcat,will share a few things after a few more rides.nice 1st ride, a bit different to my other bikes,' he then tweeted.

His prized possessions range from the mighty Hellcat to the obsolete Yamaha RD350, a bike he could not afford to buy once upon a time. Now he owns as many as 30 of those outdated machines.

4. The pet lover

MS Dhoni

 

He is a self proclaimed ‘absolute pet-lover'.

Time and again, the man with the 'Midas touch' has made known his affection for dogs through social networking sites.

Dhoni recently rescued and adopted a stray pup from the 'Hope and Animal Trust' in Ranchi.

5. The champion 'keeper

MS Dhoni

 

Believe it or not, India's ODI captain hasn't performed the routine wicketkeeping drills in the nets for more than three years now. Still, he maintains that high dismissal rate at the top level with a routine of 10 catches on match days.

Call it the 'Mahi Way', but that's how it has been for the Jharkhand dasher over the years. 

The 294 dismissals (catches plus stumpings) from 90 Tests and 325 dismissals in 260 ODIs is a proof that Dhoni indeed is India's greatest wicketkeeper-batsman.

6. The bowler

MS Dhoni

 

In 2011, with regular bowlers failing to shine in the absence of Zaheer Khan, Dhoni rolled his arm to give variation to the attack on Day 2 of the Lord's Test.

Fans all over the world were surprised to see him coming in to bowl the first over and Rahul Dravid kept wickets. He bowled an eight-over spell to give Ishant Sharma and Praveen Kumar some rest. After he conceded 23 runs in eight overs, India decided to take the second new ball.

The 34-year-old previously turned his arm over in Tests thrice -- against Pakistan, England and New Zealand -- but never bowled beyond one over.

7. The big-hitting batsman

MS Dhoni

 

Not just his 'keeping and bowling, it's even more difficult to decode Dhoni the batsman, as rival captains would agree.

As a batsman who averages more than 100 in successful run-chases, India's captain certainly qualifies as one of the most reliable batsman when it comes to the closing stages of a One-Day International.

Over and over again he's proved that nothing fazes him in a tight run-chase, or when the going gets tough.

Rediff Sports Desk