Mahendra Singh Dhoni has trotted to similar heights in cricketing fandom that very few match at the top. He took India to three ICC titles, kept wicket with hands faster than the eye can see, and sealed matches with a sangfroid that earned him the epithet Captain Cool. From civilian honour by the President of India to worldwide recognition from the International Cricket Council, all that is reflected in the awards won by MS Dhoni.
The aim of the guide is to bring all his awards together in one place, to tell you what each award recognises and show where team trophies and accomplishments for which MS Dhoni had any role have been incorrectly listed as an individual award. All dates and details are checked against ICC and other published records, but please double-check any you intend to quote on/officially use.
Awards Won by MS Dhoni: The Complete List
Here is the overview first, with the detail further down.
Major awards won by MS Dhoni
| Award | Year | Awarded by | What it recognises |
| 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 player of the year |
| ICC ODI Player of the Year | 2009 | ICC | Second straight win |
| ICC Spirit of Cricket Award | 2011 | ICC | Fair play at Trent Bridge |
| Honorary Lieutenant Colonel | 2011 | Territorial Army | Contribution to sport and the nation |
| Honorary Doctorate | 2011 | De Montfort University | Services to cricket |
| Padma Bhushan | 2018 | Government of India | Third-highest civilian award |
| ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade | 2020 | ICC | Sportsmanship across 2011–2020 |
| ICC Cricket Hall of Fame | 2025 | ICC | Career-long contribution to the game |
That list accounts for the biggest names, although MS Dhoni’s awards included a number of individual ICC crownings that will be examined shortly.
National Honours
Dhoni, meanwhile, is the highest decorated sportsman in India and enjoyed major recognition.
Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2007–08)
The Khel Ratna is the highest sporting honour in the country. Dhoni was awarded it for the period between 2007-08, which included beginning his leadership runs with a captaincy in the first ICC World Twenty20, where India bested Pakistan in the finals. The award is now called the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, which you will notice is referred to in both past and present articles.
Padma Shri (2009)
The Padma Shri is the highest civilian award in India, going down to a rank four. It was bestowed on him in 2009, when he was already an established India captain and had become one of the top finishers in world cricket. Under him, India also reached the No. 1 spot in ICC Test cricket rankings for the first time, in December that year.
Padma Bhushan (2018)
On the civilian side, MS Dhoni’s highest award is the Padma Bhushan. The award, which is the third-highest civilian honour of India, was awarded to him in 2018, his career having included the World Cup, Champions Trophy and a long-spanned all-format captaincy.
ICC and Cricket Awards
International recognition, that is where the awards won by MS Dhoni come into play. He has been respected as a person, captain and sportsperson by the ICC.
ICC ODI Player of the Year (2008, 2009)
In 2008 and again in 2009, Dhoni was named ICC ODI Player of the Year, becoming the first player to win that award twice. During the 2008 voting period, he accumulated over 1,200 ODI runs at nearly a 50 average, while completing 62 dismissals behind the stumps. During this phase, he scored 967 runs in just 24 ODIs at an average of more than 60, and India won a staggering 17 games.
ICC Teams of the Year
He is one of those whose name seems to pop up time and time again in the ICC teams of the year.
Dhoni’s ICC team selections and special awards
| Honour | Years |
| ICC ODI Team of the Year | 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 |
| ICC Test Team of the Year | 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 |
| ICC Spirit of Cricket Award | 2011 |
| ICC Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade | 2011–2020 decade |
| ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Decade | 2020 announcement |
| ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Decade | 2020 announcement |
| ICC Cricket Hall of Fame | 2025 |
For all those looking for the awards won by MS Dhoni, let them note how seldom a player can be included in both the ODIs as well as Tests over so many years. The selections are more obscure than the headline prizes, and the format shows consistency across streets.
The Spirit of Cricket Story
Ian Bell, run out on the last ball before tea in the 2011 Trent Bridge Test against England after assuming incorrectly that the ball had gone for four. In the intervening period, Dhoni and the team had decided to retract the appeal and summon Bell back. For that act, he was awarded the ICC Spirit of Cricket Award for 2011. Voters voted him the winner of the Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade, nine years later.
Military and Academic Honours
The list of awards won by MS Dhoni is extensive, but not all are framed by cricket bodies or ministries.
Honorary Lieutenant Colonel. In 2011, Dhoni was also awarded an honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel by the Territorial Army. While it’s not a cricket award, it shows the connection he has with the armed forces. His subsequent parachute jumps at the Para Training School in Agra proved that he took the rank seriously.
Honorary doctorate. In recognition of his services to cricket, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from De Montfort University in Leicester in 2011.
Team Trophies Under His Captaincy
Trophies are not individual awards per se, but these are essential to any enumeration of the honours garnered in MS Dhoni’s decorated career, as many of the individual accolades stemmed from such wins.
Major team achievements under Dhoni
| Year | Achievement | Detail |
| 2007 | ICC World Twenty20 | Beat Pakistan in the final by 5 runs |
| 2009 | No. 1 in ICC Test rankings | First time India reached the top |
| 2010 | IPL title with CSK | First of several |
| 2011 | ICC Cricket World Cup | Ended a 28-year wait for India |
| 2011 | IPL title with CSK | Back-to-back champions |
| 2013 | ICC Champions Trophy | Won in England |
| 2018 | IPL title with CSK | Returned after a two-year ban |
| 2021 | IPL title with CSK | Fourth title |
| 2023 | IPL title with CSK | Fifth title |
Dhoni remains the only men’s captain to win the World T20, 50-over World Cup and Champions Trophy. And if you recall that stat on MS Dhoni, comparing his awards with any other captain.
The 2011 World Cup Final
There are some sites that get this match wrong, so the facts. On the other hand, Japan had him score a total of 91 runs and helped complete the chase against Sri Lanka on Octoober 2 in the final at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with his now-famous six off Nuwan Kulasekara. He was also awarded Player of the Match. That innings is one of the most well-known in Indian cricket history.
IPL Honours
He led Chennai Super Kings to IPL glory in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and lastly in 2023. Since the league does not distribute awards tied to careers, as the ICC does, his IPL aggregate is reflected in titles, captaincy figures and match awards. His departure from the international scene in 2020 saw him, however, continue to ply his trade in the IPL; thus why every year his name finds its way into award discussions.
The ICC Hall of Fame (2025)
In 2025, MS Dhoni was included into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, marking the latest achievement in his biography of accolades. The Hall of Fame is oriented to a player entire career, not just one season and induction will put him alongside the all-time greats of the game. During his career, he featured in 90 Tests, 350 ODIs and 98 T20Is, scoring over 10,773 ODI runs at an average of more than 50.
Year-by-Year Timeline
Awards and honours by year
| Year | Honour or milestone |
| 2007 | Captained India to the World Twenty20 title |
| 2007–08 | Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna |
| 2008 | ICC ODI Player of the Year |
| 2009 | ICC ODI Player of the Year; Padma Shri; India reached No. 1 in Tests |
| 2011 | World Cup win; Spirit of Cricket Award; Honorary Lieutenant Colonel; honorary doctorate |
| 2013 | Champions Trophy win |
| 2018 | Padma Bhushan |
| 2020 | Spirit of Cricket Award of the Decade; ODI and T20I Teams of the Decade; retired from international cricket |
| 2025 | ICC Cricket Hall of Fame |
This timeline provides the clearest glimpse into awards won by MS Dhoni and how accolades continued to come long after his peak years
Why Dhoni’s Awards Stand Out
Many a player bag numerous honors in personal figures. Dhoni legacy features an interesting mix: it is both personal and collective. He got individual awards for batting and keeping, captain-led championships, accolades for sportsmanship and sanctioned recognition from the state and army. International cricketer from a top cricket playing nation in the world.
The awards won by MS Dhoni also represent an especial manner of leading. He hardly shouted, gave responsibility to the younger players and in the last few overs backed his plans. That made the trophies as well as the accolades that followed.
Also Read: Unmukt Chand Stats | Mukul Choudhary Stats | Vansh Bedi Stats | Harshit Rana Stats
Conclusion
Awards won by MS Dhoni include a Khel Ratna, two Padma honours, ICC individual player and team awards, a Spirit of Cricket trophy, a military ranking that he received for his contribution to cricket, besides an honorary doctorate and a place in the ICC Hall of Fame. Throw in the World T20, the World Cup and the Champions Trophy, and you have an almost unparalleled record in the sport.
For the fans, student writers, the important thing is to differentiate personal awards from team trophies and to trust the official dates. Take note of this list and whenever you are asked about the awards won by MS Dhoni, be better equipped to tell them that the full picture is bigger than most cursory summaries suggest.
FAQs About Awards Won by MS Dhoni
1. What is the highest civilian award for MS Dhoni?
The Padma Bhushan, awarded to him in 2018 in 2018, is the highest civilian award he has received.
2. Is MS Dhoni in the ICC Hall of Fame?
Yes. He was inducted in 2025.
3. Why is M.S. Dhoni called the most successful ICC captain?
Because he is the only men’s captain to win all three major trophies: the World T20, the World Cup, and the Champions Trophy.
4. What is Dhoni’s age in 2026?
He is 45 years old as of October 2026, having been born on 7 July 1981.
5. Who awarded the Padma Bhushan to Dhoni?
Government of India, with the award presented by the Hon’ble President of India.
