Awards Won by MS Dhoni: Complete List of National, ICC & Cricket Honors

If we talk about the most renowned cricketers of all time… MS Dhoni appears to be a piece of cake with his astute leadership, unbelievable wicket-keeping skills, and remarkably iciness when in pressure situations. As a national cricketer for 15 years, Dhoni brought ICC trophy after ICC trophy to India while also winning multiple awards for his acts of brilliance on the field.

The following is a detailed list of awards won by MS Dhoni National Sports Awards, ICC Awards, Military etc. as well as cricket records. So, if you are a cricket freak or someone searching for Dhoni’s incidentally related to his career this article is an all rounder for what details and facts You need!!

Awards Won by MS Dhoni: Complete List

The table below highlights the most significant awards won by MS Dhoni throughout his illustrious career.

Award	Year	Awarding Authority	Purpose
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna	2007–08	Government of India	India’s highest sporting honour
Padma Shri	2009	Government of India	Fourth-highest civilian award
ICC ODI Player of the Year	2008	ICC	Best ODI cricketer
ICC ODI Player of the Year	2009	ICC	Best ODI cricketer
Padma Bhushan	2018	Government of India	Third-highest civilian award
Honorary Lieutenant Colonel	2011	Indian Territorial Army	Recognition of contribution to sports

These awards reflect Dhoni’s excellence as a player, captain, and role model.

National Awards Won by MS Dhoni

India has recognized MS Dhoni’s contribution to cricket with some of its highest civilian and sporting honors.

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2007-08)

MS Dhoni is also a recipient of one of India’s highest honours – the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (now called as the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award).

Dhoni earned this accolade after helping India win the first-ever ICC T20 World Cup fifteen years back in 2007. Indian cricket, under his fearless captaincy and batting performances.

Why he received it:

Outstanding cricket performances

The captaincy during ICC T20 World Cup

Emerging as the most reliable captain of India

Padma Shri (2009)

Padma Shri is the fourth highest civilian award in India.

It was in 2009 when MS Dhoni won this award owing to his emergence as one of the best wicketkeeper-batters on the globe and guiding India towards No.1 ODI ranking.

This honour recognised his contribution to Indian sports and enhanced its recognition globally.

Padma Bhushan (2018)

On the lowest, Padma Bhushan is apart from all awards received by MS Dhoni.

It is the third-highest civilian award in India presented by thePresident of India

By 2018, Dhoni had:

• Won all major ICC trophies
• There is no one better than him to be India’s best Test captain
• Own a little of cricket’s deepest reverence

The Padma Bhushan only strengthened the legend.

Sports and Cricket Awards

Apart from national honors, Dhoni has received numerous international cricket awards.

ICC ODI Player of the Year (2008)

In 2008 MS Dhoni became the first Indian player ever to win ICC ODI Player of the Year.

With his phenomenal batting form and superb wicketkeeping skill, he was the stand-out performer in ODI’s.

Throughout this phase, Dhoni’s composed chase overseeing capabilities were on display regularly and distinctly finished his national group.

ICC ODI Player of the Year (2009)

He then won the award again in 2009, confirming his earlier success was no fluke.

Not many cricketers have defended this prestigious ICC accolade successfully.

His performances included:

• Match-winning innings
• Brilliant captaincy
• Consistent wicketkeeping
• Reliable finishing ability

ICC World Test XI Selections

Additionally, MS Dhoni has been the part of ICC World Test XI world team on multiple occasions based on his performances in Test cricket.

Instead, Dhoni is often remembered as a leader who transformed India’s performance in white-ball cricket, but he also helped India achieve the No.1 ranking in Test cricket too.

ICC World ODI XI Selections

MS Dhoni has many awards under his kitty, one of the talks that we never hear about is ICC World ODI XI selection for him year on year basis.

He has been named ICC ODI Player of the year a few times and that shows his consistency throughout many years

Military Honor Received by MS Dhoni

Honorary Lieutenant Colonel

MS Dhoni was later chosen by the Indian Territorial Army (TA) and appointed with the honorific rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 2011.

This is not a cricket award, but the highest honour that can be conferred upon any sportsperson in India by the Indian Armed Forces.

We all know that Dhoni has great admiration for the army.

Even underwent military training, served with the army after international duties.

This honorary rank reflects:

• Leadership
• Discipline
• Patriotism
• National contribution beyond sports

Why Are Awards Won by MS Dhoni So Special?

While many great players were great only as an individual, Dhoni mixed personal with team.

His awards recognize:

• Leadership under pressure
• Calm decision-making
• Match-finishing ability
• Tactical brilliance
• Outstanding wicketkeeping
• Consistency across formats

No captain has received such acclaim from professional bodies and governments.

Major Team Achievements Under MS Dhoni’s Captaincy

While discussing the Awards Won by MS Dhoni, it is impossible to ignore the team trophies he won as captain. His leadership transformed India into one of the strongest cricketing nations in the world.

ICC World Twenty20 2007

MS Dhoni made his first major headline-making achievement as a captain in the very first ICC T20 World Cup held in South Africa. He made some brave calls on this young Indian side over the course of the tournament. The finals against Pakistan, where India clinched a nail-biting victory, heralded the start of a new-age Indian cricket.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

On 2 April 2011, Dhoni square cut to win the World Cup final with a towering six over deep midwicket into history. He was awarded the Player of the Match as India, after a wait of 28 years lifted their second ODI World Cup ever thanks to Virat’s innings of an unbeaten 91.

ICC Champions Trophy 2013

He became the first and only captain in men’s cricket history to win all three elite ICC white-ball trophies-ICC T20 World Cup, ICC Cricket World Cup and ICC Champions Trophy-in 2013. That one-of-a-kind feat continues to be among the top highlights in his career.

India’s No. 1 Test Ranking

India, under Dhoni, climbed to the top of the ICC Test rankings for the first time in 2009. India steam-rolled across formats under his calm leadership and winning combinations.

Now IPL Success with Chennai Super Kings

It wasn’t only in international cricket that Dhoni achieved success. He had captained Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to multiple IPL titles, with CSK being one of the most successful franchises ever in the league.

IPL Awards and Individual Records

Although IPL does not have many career achievement awards, Dhoni has earned immense recognition through his performances and leadership.

Most Successful IPL Captain

Dhoni has captained Chennai Super Kings in more than 250 IPL matches, winning multiple championships and consistently guiding the team to the playoffs.

Player of the Match Awards

Throughout his IPL career, Dhoni has won several Player of the Match awards for his explosive finishing, sharp wicketkeeping, and tactical captaincy.

Fair Play and Leadership Recognition

CSK has frequently received Fair Play Awards during Dhoni’s captaincy, reflecting the team’s discipline and sportsmanship.

International Honors and Hall of Fame Recognition

Latest Entry in the List of Awards Won by MS Dhoni is Inducted in ICC Hall of Fame 2025 It was for his exceptional contribution to the game that he was later awarded a place in one of only a small number of Indian legends inducted into the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame.

The honour recognizes:

• Outstanding international career
• Exceptional captaincy
• Match-winning performances
• Contribution in global growth of cricket

This recognition by ICC only confirms Dhoni’s place as one of the greatest players in the history of cricket.

Awards Won by MS Dhoni -Year-wise Timeline

Year	Award / Achievement
2007	Led India to ICC T20 World Cup victory
2007–08	Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award
2008	ICC ODI Player of the Year
2009	ICC ODI Player of the Year (Second Consecutive)
2009	Padma Shri
2009	India reached No.1 in ICC Test Rankings
2011	ICC Cricket World Cup Champion
2011	Honorary Lieutenant Colonel, Territorial Army
2013	ICC Champions Trophy Winner
2018	Padma Bhushan
2025	ICC Hall of Fame Induction

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Conclusion

Awards Won by MS Dhoni- A cricketer with many more deeds than just individual milestones. Starting from winning India’s highest sporting award to numerous civilian awards and global recognition, Dhoni’s career is the epitome of excellence, leadership and consistency!

From three ICC trophies to winning the IPL playoffs multiple times, as captain he has reached every pinnacle and instilled his phenomenal career into millions of fans across the world. And with his addition to the list in 2025, only underlines for many that he is one of the greatest cricketers the game has ever seen.

Be it his rapid stumpings, match-winning finishes or composed captaincy you adore him for, Awards Won by MS Dhoni is arguably one of the greatest legacies in cricket.

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