For Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Country and Parents Come Before Wife: Top Quotes

MS Dhoni is a colourful character. He is stylish off-the-field and on-field he is 'cool' personified. He operates differently from the other conventional cricketers and over the years, the 'Mahi'-way has been quite entertaining. His press conferences are a piece of art and on his 34th birthday on Tuesday, here's a collection of few unconventional quotes of MSD. (Happy Birthday MSD)

"The proudest moment of my own life was the day I accepted my ranks at the Pipping Ceremony."

Not winning the World Cup, Dhoni's proudest moment in life is when he became an honorary lieutenant colonel in the Parachute Regiment. (Tendulkar Leads Barrage of Birthday Wishes for Dhoni)

And since his love for the army is so evident, the next quote should surprise you at all.

MS Dhoni is an honourary lieutenant colonel in India's territorial army.

© IANS

"I love my country. I tell my wife she is only the third most important thing after my country and my parents, in that order."

The love for his country was also evident when his daughter Ziva was born while India were in Australia for the ICC World Cup. (Dhoni Quitting Forced Selectors to Hand Kohli Test Captaincy: Wadekar)

"I'm on national duties so I think everything else can wait," said Dhoni after his daughter was born. (Admire Dhoni's Calmness: Rahane)

However, he is a man who loves his family too.

"Sakshi provides the spark I might sometimes need. Jokes aside, she is the person to whom I have reference. She is both loving and inspirational."

"Ziva doesn't care whether I play for my country or play for a good franchise like Chennai. She wants to cry, she cries. It gives a very good feeling."

But he also has his way with the food.

"My wife wants me to eat fish, she says it is delicious. But I don't like fish, so that is that."

But it is a strict no-no when it comes to alcohol.

"I find liquor has a bitter taste, so I don't drink alcohol but understand that other people enjoy it."

Dhoni is a man who lives his life on his own terms and he learns that from his heroes.

"I care most about how people live their lives, what choices they make and how they get the best from themselves. This is why people such as Amitabh Bachchan, Sachin and Rahul are heroes of mine."

And he follows their advice to the T!

"Rahul Dravid taught me how to say no politely."

However, the best Dhoni quotes have to be about his love for his bikes.

MS Dhoni with his bike at Ranchi

© PTI

"I love them all, expensive, cheap, old and new - a Harley Fat Boy. A Ducati Pantah, a Hellcat - one of the confederate motorcycles from the US, some ancient two-strokes, Triumphs, even an old BSA."

And he learnt his trade on a bike.

"When I was a boy, one of our senior players used to position his beautiful bike behind me and then hit balls at me to catch. If I missed one and it hit the bike, I had to fix up the mark. Therefore I learned not to miss many. I've either been polishing bikes or trying to cling on to catches pretty much ever since!"

The above quotes show us the different shades of Dhoni but the last one perhaps tells us something about the man, himself.

"A perfect smile is too often missing from the faces of the world. If cricket can provide more smiles, it is doing its job."