Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s biopic released on 30th September and has had audiences all over the country gripped with its compelling storyline. The biopic covers the star’s journey from his humble beginnings in a small town in Bihar to the lights of the Wankhede Stadium, where his six landed India a historic World Cup.
While there have been a number of startling revelations about Dhoni’s career in the 3-hour long film, it subtly depicts how he grew as a person. From his preferences in food to his love for bikes, a number of details about his personal live have been revealed.
The one facet of his personality they did not harp on about were the numerous hairstyles he has sported and immortalised over the years. If David Beckham was the trendsetter in the world of football, MS Dhoni has been no short with his numerous hairstyles over the years.
He was most recently spotted sporting a new look, short hair with a moustache and a goatee at an event for a brand in Gurgaon. This was a completely different look from how he was spotted in Kanpur during India’s 500th Test.
We look at the hairstyles he sported over the years
1) The early years
Rating: 6.5/10
MS Dhoni was just making his name as an aggressive wicket-keeper with a unique style at this stage. He was almost making as many headlines for his hairstyles as his actual performances on the field.
He struggled with the bat initially, failing to make a mark in the first few matches he played. He made his name with a 148 against Pakistan in his 5th ODI and cemented his place in the squad with an incredible unbeaten 183 against Sri Lanka in Jaipur.
Never before had Indian cricket seen a cricketer spot such a look. He had long locks and they were coloured golden-brown that made his appearance discernable from the rest of the team.
The picture is from 2005 where Indian cricket’s stars were seen sporting more traditional looks and depicting the chocolate-boy image. This was a bold statement from Dhoni.
2) The 2007 World T20
Rating: 7/10
India had announced what was a weakened side for the inaugural World T20, still having its reservations over the shortest format of the game. A number of stalwarts like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid were ignored for the tournament in South Africa.
MS Dhoni had been handed the captaincy a mere 3 years after his debut in the game. He had a young squad at his disposal and would mould them in his image. India played a brave brand of cricket that landed them the trophy.
Dhoni was seen sporting long straightened hair in the tournament here. Compared to his look from a couple of years ago, the colours were gone and his hair was jet-black. It was a look that would be copied on the streets of India after Dhoni led the team to the trophy.
This picture is from 2007 and is one of the most iconic images in Indian cricket history. Pakistan lost their final wicket, and India were champions.
3) Post-2011 World Cup
Rating: 8.5/10
India hosted the 2011 World Cup and were one of the favourites to lift the trophy with a very strong line-up. MS Dhoni had established himself as the leader of the pack and his reputation as a leader was growing with each series.
He would play arguably his best knock ever in the finals against Sri Lanka, where his unbeaten 91 led India to the trophy .
For a couple of years after the 2007 World Cup, Dhoni sported a more conventional look. As he captained the side in all 3 formats of the game, Dhoni let his game do the talking at that point.
As the team posed for photographs in front of the Gateway of India in Mumbai, MS Dhoni unveiled a new look as he trimmed his hair completely and sported a near-bald look.
Posing in a suit with the World Cup Trophy, he might have never looked better.
4) The mohawk – 2013
Rating: 6/10
MS Dhoni had matured as a cricketer and as a person. He did not often make headlines with his hairstyles anymore. Whether that is due to his personal choice or the pressure to maintain his image for the various brands he advertised is up for debate.
Over the years, he had become synonymous with the Chennai Super Kings. As he took to the field in his hometown of Ranchi for a Champions League T20 clash against a South African side, he shocked the fans with his latest look.
He displayed a never-seen-before mohawk with trimmed sides that distinguished him from the rest of the pack.
This was a bold look from Dhoni and drew the ire of many Indian fans who could not imagine seeing the two-time World Cup winning captain like this.
5) Biopic promotion – 2016
Rating: 9.5/10
MS Dhoni retired from Test cricket, but he very much stayed in his news. Still only 35 and still the captain of both the limited-overs sides, Dhoni’s popularity has shot through the roof as a biopic on his career hit the screens.
While promoting the movie, it is only fair that Dhoni looked his best. He was sporting a trimmed mid-length hair look with a stubble and a thick set beard. This has been a look he has dabbled with in the past but carried it off best prior to the movie.
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