MS Dhoni's 3 unique hairstyles at the start of an IPL season

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 kicked off on March 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad with defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) beating the four-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK) by five wickets.

It was a huge occasion for fans of former India skipper MS Dhoni as they only get to see him in action during the IPL. This year's IPL could also be his swansong, which just adds to the emotional appeal.

The excitement of the fans was on show when MS Dhoni was invited to the stage during the opening ceremony of the tournament. The crowd went berserk as they were delighted to finally see their beloved Thala back on the field. Even though it was an away game for CSK, there was an abundance of yellow in the crowd, which is a testimony to how much Dhoni is loved by fans.

While his batting skills and tactical acumen are highly anticipated, there is another thing that fans of Dhoni look forward to ahead of every IPL season, that being his hairstyle.

Over the years, he has sported some fancy and unique hairstyles at the start of the IPL. Here, we look at 3 of his most unique hairstyles at the start of an IPL season:

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#1 Mohawk - 2013

At the start of IPL 2013, MS Dhoni sported a mohawk, a hairstyle in which the sides are completely trimmed with hair only in the middle.

It took everyone by surprise as the hairstyle was not something that matched Dhoni's simple personality.

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#2 Bald Look - 2011

MSD's look in IPL 2011

In IPL 2011, Captain Cool, as Dhoni is fondly called, sported a bald look. He shaved his hair after India's triumphant campaign at the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Coincidence or not, the hairstyle brought some luck for CSK as they went on to win the IPL that year.

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#3 The end of the long hair - 2008

MSD in 2008 IPL

In 2007, a long-haired MS Dhoni led India to a famous win in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup.

However, at the start of IPL 2008, fans got to see him in a new avatar as he did away with the long hair. He switched to a medium length hairstyle which lasted for quite some time.