Awards Won by MS Dhoni: Complete List of Honors & Achievements (2026)
Awards Won by MS Dhoni: Mahendra Singh Dhoni is not just one of India’s most successful cricket captains he’s also one of its most decorated. Over a career that ran from 2004 to 2019 internationally, and continued in the IPL well beyond that, Dhoni built a trophy cabinet that mixes India’s highest civilian and sporting honors with global cricketing recognition and even an honorary military rank. He remains the only captain in the history of the men’s game to have won all three major ICC white-ball trophies the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup, and the Champions Trophy and that unmatched captaincy record is really the thread that runs through almost every award on this list.
This article brings together every major award, honor, and recognition Dhoni has received, from the Padma Bhushan to his 2025 induction into the ICC Hall of Fame, along with the ICC trophies and IPL titles that shaped his legacy.
Quick Overview of MS Dhoni Awards
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Government Awards (Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, Khel Ratna) | 3 |
| Major Individual ICC Awards (Player of the Year, Player of the Month, Spirit of Cricket) | 5+ |
| ICC Trophies Won as Captain | 3 |
| IPL Titles Won as Captain | 5 |
| ICC Hall of Fame | 1 (2025) |
| Military Honor | 1 (Honorary Lieutenant Colonel) |
Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality
MS Dhoni’s awards reflect not only his cricketing excellence but also his calm leadership, sportsmanship, and ability to inspire generations of cricketers.
Complete List of Awards Won by MS Dhoni
| Award / Honor | Year | Awarding Organization | Why He Received It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna (formerly Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna) | 2008 | Government of India | India’s highest sporting honor, awarded after leading India to victory in the inaugural ICC World T20 in 2007. |
| ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year | 2008 | ICC | Became the first Indian and the first player to win the prestigious ODI Player of the Year award. |
| Padma Shri | 2009 | Government of India | India’s fourth-highest civilian award for his outstanding contribution to cricket. |
| ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year | 2009 | ICC | Became the first cricketer to win the award in consecutive years. |
| Honorary Lieutenant Colonel | 2011 | Indian Territorial Army | Honored for his exceptional contribution to Indian sports and national pride. |
| CNN-News18 Indian of the Year (Sports) | 2011 | CNN-News18 | Recognized for leading India to the 2011 Cricket World Cup triumph. |
| Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year | 2011 | Castrol Awards | Awarded for his outstanding performances and leadership during the season. |
| ICC People’s Choice Award | 2013 | ICC | Honored through global fan voting for his popularity and impact on international cricket. |
| Padma Bhushan | 2018 | Government of India | India’s third-highest civilian honor for his long-standing contribution to Indian cricket. |
| ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Decade (Captain & Wicketkeeper) | 2020 | ICC | Selected as captain and wicketkeeper for the ICC ODI Team of the Decade (2011–2020). |
| ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Decade (Captain & Wicketkeeper) | 2020 | ICC | Chosen to lead the ICC T20I Team of the Decade. |
| ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade | 2020 | ICC | Recognized for exemplary sportsmanship and fair play throughout his career. |
| ICC Hall of Fame | 2025 | ICC | Inducted as the 11th Indian cricketer for his extraordinary contribution to world cricket. |
Summary
- Government Awards: 3
- ICC Individual Awards: 3
- ICC Team Honors: 2
- ICC Decade Award: 1
- Military Honor: 1
- ICC Hall of Fame: 1
- ICC Trophies as Captain: 3
- IPL Titles as Captain: 5
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Government Awards Won by MS Dhoni
Dhoni’s civilian and sporting honors from the Indian government trace his career almost year by year, each one arriving on the back of a major captaincy milestone.
| Award | Year | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna | 2007 | India’s highest sporting honor; awarded after Dhoni led a young Indian side to the first-ever T20 World Cup title |
| Padma Shri | 2009 | India’s fourth-highest civilian award, given as Dhoni established himself as the world’s top-ranked ODI captain |
| Padma Bhushan | 2018 | India’s third-highest civilian award, presented for his long-term contribution to Indian sport |
It’s worth noting that Dhoni never received the Arjuna Award, India’s standard honor for sporting excellence — he went straight to the higher Khel Ratna in 2007, which is unusual, since most Indian cricketers receive the Arjuna Award earlier in their careers before qualifying for the Khel Ratna.
ICC Awards Won by MS Dhoni
| Award | Year(s) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| ICC ODI Player of the Year | 2008, 2009 | Dhoni became the first cricketer in history to win this award in consecutive years |
| ICC ODI Player of the Month | 2008, 2009 | Recognized multiple times for standout individual months with bat and gloves |
| ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Decade (2011–2020) | 2020 | Named as wicketkeeper in the ICC’s team of the decade |
| ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Decade (2011–2020) | 2020 | Named as wicketkeeper-captain in the corresponding T20I team |
| ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade | 2020 | Given for exemplifying fair play across a long international career |
| ICC Hall of Fame | 2025 | Inducted at a ceremony in London, becoming the 11th Indian cricketer to receive the honor |
Compared to his overall impact on the sport, Dhoni’s list of individual annual ICC awards is relatively short. Much of that comes down to his role: as a finisher who walked in late in ODI innings and closed out games efficiently rather than piling up the big, headline-grabbing scores that usually decide annual individual awards, his volume of runs per innings often didn’t match players batting at the top of the order. His honors, instead, lean heavily toward leadership, longevity, and team success — which is exactly what the Hall of Fame induction and the Team of the Decade selections reflect.
Military Honor Received by MS Dhoni
In November 2011, the Indian Army conferred an honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel on Dhoni, attaching him to the Territorial Army’s Parachute Regiment. This wasn’t a ceremonial title given to celebrities in general — Dhoni has actively trained with the unit multiple times over the years, including parachute jumps, and has spoken about his deep personal interest in the armed forces. He notably wore his Lieutenant Colonel uniform when he received the Padma Bhushan in 2018, on the same date that marked the anniversary of India’s 2011 World Cup win.
| Honor | Year | Conferred By | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honorary Lieutenant Colonel | 2011 | Indian Army (Territorial Army) | Attached to the Parachute Regiment; recognized for his sporting achievements and support for the armed forces |
Major Cricket Achievements That Led to These Awards
- Captained India to the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup title in 2007, with a largely inexperienced squad
- Led India to the top of the ICC Test rankings, holding the No. 1 spot for around 18 months from December 2009
- Captained India to the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup title on home soil, finishing the final unbeaten with the winning six
- Led India to the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy title in England, completing a clean sweep of all three ICC white-ball trophies as captain — a feat no other captain has matched
- Became the first cricketer to win the ICC ODI Player of the Year award twice (2008 and 2009)
- Scored an unbeaten 183 against Sri Lanka in 2005, still the highest score by a wicketkeeper in ODI cricket
- Finished his international career with 17,266 runs across formats, along with 634 catches and 195 stumpings
- Captained Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles, tied for the most by any captain in the league’s history
Awards Timeline of MS Dhoni
| Year | Achievement/Award |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Led India to the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup title; awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna |
| 2008 | Won the ICC ODI Player of the Year award for the first time |
| 2009 | Won the ICC ODI Player of the Year award for a second consecutive year; awarded the Padma Shri |
| 2010 | Won his first IPL title with Chennai Super Kings; won the Champions League T20 title with CSK |
| 2011 | Captained India to the ICC Cricket World Cup title; conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel; won a second IPL title with CSK |
| 2013 | Captained India to the ICC Champions Trophy title, completing the ICC white-ball treble |
| 2014 | Won a second Champions League T20 title with CSK |
| 2018 | Awarded the Padma Bhushan; won an IPL title with CSK after the franchise’s return from suspension |
| 2020 | Named in the ICC Men’s ODI and T20I Teams of the Decade; received the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade |
| 2021 | Won another IPL title with CSK, this time as a stand-in finisher-captain late in his career |
| 2023 | Led CSK to a fifth IPL title |
| 2025 | Inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in London |
MS Dhoni Awards Compared with Other Indian Cricketers
| Player | Padma Shri | Padma Bhushan | Khel Ratna | ICC Awards | World Cups as Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | Yes (2009) | Yes (2018) | Yes (2007) | ODI Player of the Year (x2), Hall of Fame | 2 (T20 WC 2007, ODI WC 2011) + Champions Trophy 2013 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | No | Yes | Yes | Multiple ICC awards, Hall of Fame | 0 (played under other captains in his only WC win, 2011) |
| Virat Kohli | Yes (2017) | No | Yes | Multiple ICC Player of the Year awards | 0 as ODI/Test captain |
| Kapil Dev | No | No | No (predates award) | ICC Hall of Fame | 1 (1983 World Cup) |
| Rahul Dravid | No | Yes | Yes | ICC Hall of Fame | 0 |
| Sunil Gavaskar | No | Padma Bhushan | No (predates award) | ICC Hall of Fame | 0 |
Dhoni is one of the few Indian cricketers to hold both the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, alongside the Khel Ratna — and he’s the only name on this list whose captaincy delivered all three major ICC white-ball trophies.
ICC Trophies Won by MS Dhoni as Captain
| Tournament | Year | Result |
|---|---|---|
| ICC World T20 | 2007 | Winners |
| ICC Cricket World Cup | 2011 | Winners |
| ICC Champions Trophy | 2013 | Winners |
IPL Titles Won by MS Dhoni
| Year | Team | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Chennai Super Kings | Mumbai Indians | Winners |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Winners |
| 2018 | Chennai Super Kings | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Winners |
| 2021 | Chennai Super Kings | Kolkata Knight Riders | Winners |
| 2023 | Chennai Super Kings | Gujarat Titans | Winners |
Beyond the IPL, Dhoni also led Chennai Super Kings to two Champions League T20 titles, in 2010 and 2014.
Awards Comparison Chart: MS Dhoni vs Other Indian Cricket Legends
| Player | Khel Ratna | Padma Shri | Padma Bhushan | Bharat Ratna | ICC Hall of Fame | Major ICC Individual Awards | World Cup as Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | 2× ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year | 🏆🏆 (2007 T20, 2011 ODI) + 🏆 Champions Trophy 2013 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ICC Cricketer of the Year & multiple ICC honors | ❌ |
| Virat Kohli | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | Multiple ICC Cricketer of the Year & ICC Awards | ❌ |
| Kapil Dev | ❌* | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | — | 🏆 1983 ODI World Cup |
| Rahul Dravid | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ICC Player of the Year (2004) | ❌ |
| Sunil Gavaskar | ❌* | ❌ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | — | ❌ |
The Khel Ratna was introduced in 1991, after the international careers of Kapil Dev and Sunil Gavaskar, so they were never eligible for it.
Why Is MS Dhoni Considered One of India’s Most Awarded Cricketers?
Dhoni’s award cabinet is unusual in cricket because it’s built almost entirely around leadership and consistency rather than any single dominant season. Most cricketers accumulate individual awards through run-scoring or wicket-taking peaks; Dhoni’s honors instead track his captaincy milestones — the Khel Ratna followed the 2007 World T20 win, the honorary Army rank came after the 2011 World Cup, and the Padma Bhushan arrived in 2018 as his overall legacy solidified. Add to that his role as a finisher, where the value he brought rarely shows up as flashy scorecards, and it becomes clear why his honors skew toward team success, sportsmanship, and long-term recognition like the Hall of Fame rather than a stack of “Player of the Series” trophies.
Records Behind These Awards
MS Dhoni’s awards are backed by an extraordinary list of records that have cemented his place among cricket’s all-time greats.
- Only captain in men’s cricket history to win all three ICC white-ball trophies — ICC T20 World Cup (2007), ICC Cricket World Cup (2011), and ICC Champions Trophy (2013).
- First cricketer to win the ICC ODI Cricketer of the Year award in consecutive years (2008 and 2009).
- Five-time IPL-winning captain, leading Chennai Super Kings to titles in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023—joint-most by any IPL captain.
- Most stumpings in ODI cricket by a wicketkeeper with 123 stumpings, a world record.
- 🇮🇳 Most ODI matches as India’s captain (200), making him one of the country’s most successful leaders in limited-overs cricket.
- Highest individual ODI score by a wicketkeeper — 183 against Sri Lanka* in 2005.
- Fastest batter to reach No. 1 in the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, achieving the top spot in just 40 ODIs.
- Only wicketkeeper-captain to finish a Cricket World Cup final with the winning shot, sealing India’s 2011 triumph with an iconic six.
- Led India to the No. 1 position in the ICC Test Team Rankings for the first time in December 2009.
- Inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025, becoming the 11th Indian cricketer to receive the honor.
Lesser-Known Honors and Recognitions
- Selected in the ICC World ODI XI on multiple occasions during his playing career
- Recognized by various Indian state governments and cricket associations for his contribution to the sport
- Received several brand and youth-icon recognitions early in his career for his influence on young cricket fans
- Acknowledged for his performances during the 2011 World Cup–winning season with additional domestic cricketing honors
- Became the 11th Indian cricketer inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, joining names like Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, Anil Kumble, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virender Sehwag
Interesting Facts About MS Dhoni’s Awards
- Dhoni is the only captain in men’s international cricket history to win all three ICC white-ball trophies: the T20 World Cup, the ODI World Cup, and the Champions Trophy
- He never won the Arjuna Award — he jumped straight to the higher Khel Ratna in 2007
- He was the first cricketer to win the ICC ODI Player of the Year award in consecutive years (2008 and 2009)
- He wore his honorary Lieutenant Colonel uniform when receiving the Padma Bhushan in 2018
- His ICC Hall of Fame induction in 2025 came five years after his last international appearance, as per ICC eligibility rules
- His five IPL titles as captain are tied for the most by any captain in league history
Conclusion
MS Dhoni’s award cabinet tells the story of a captain first and a batter second even though he was a genuinely exceptional finisher and wicketkeeper in his own right. From the Khel Ratna in 2007 to the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025, nearly two decades separate his first major honor from his most recent one, and together they map out a career defined less by individual brilliance in any single match and more by sustained leadership, composure under pressure, and a trophy haul international and franchise that few cricketers in the game’s history can match.
Key Takeaways
- MS Dhoni has received India’s highest sporting honour, the Khel Ratna.
- He has been awarded both Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan.
- Dhoni became the first cricketer to win ICC ODI Player of the Year twice.
- He is the only captain to win all three ICC white-ball trophies.
- In 2025, he was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.
- His leadership remains one of the greatest in cricket history.
FAQs
1.How many awards has MS Dhoni won?
Dhoni has won three major Indian government honors (Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan), multiple ICC individual and team awards, an honorary military rank, and an ICC Hall of Fame induction alongside three ICC trophies and five IPL titles as captain.
2.Which is the highest civilian award received by MS Dhoni?
The Padma Bhushan, awarded in 2018, is the highest civilian award Dhoni has received. It is India’s third-highest civilian honor, below only the Padma Vibhushan and the Bharat Ratna.
3.When did MS Dhoni receive the Padma Bhushan?
He received the Padma Bhushan in 2018.
4.How many ICC awards has MS Dhoni won?
Dhoni has won the ICC ODI Player of the Year award twice (2008 and 2009), the ICC ODI Player of the Month award multiple times, the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade, and was named to the ICC Men’s ODI and T20I Teams of the Decade for 2011–2020.
5.Is MS Dhoni an ICC Hall of Fame inductee?
Yes. Dhoni was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025, becoming the 11th Indian cricketer to receive the honor.
6.What military honor has MS Dhoni received?
Dhoni was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Territorial Army’s Parachute Regiment in 2011.
7.Which ICC trophies did MS Dhoni win as captain?
He won the ICC World T20 in 2007, the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, and the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 — making him the only captain to win all three.
8.Why is MS Dhoni regarded as one of India’s most decorated cricketers?
Because his honors span nearly every category available to an Indian sportsperson: the country’s highest sporting award, two civilian honors, an honorary military rank, global ICC recognition, and a place in cricket’s Hall of Fame — all built on a captaincy record that remains unmatched in the format he dominated.
