Happy Birthday MSD: The 34th Year That Gave MS Dhoni the Best Gift Ever
The years of having his face painted by a birthday cake and opening champagne bottles may well be over. MS Dhoni though can hardly complain as he will get to celebrate his first birthday as a father with his bundle of joy Ziva.
MS Dhoni turned 34 on Tuesday and while birthdays are always special, this one is his first as a proud father to an adorable baby girl.
Happy birthday @msdhoni wishing you years ahead filled with love, laughter and success! Have a fantastic one #happybirthdayDhoni
- Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) July 6, 2015A highly acclaimed leader of the Indian cricket team, Dhoni has been in the spotlight since he made his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2004. For the man who led the Indian team to its second World Cup win seven years later, the biggest gift came earlier in 2015 when wife Sakshi gave birth to their first child - Ziva - on February 6. Such are the rigours of the life of an Indian cricket captain that the sportsperson himself was not present during birth due to the World Cup being just a week away. At the time, an elated Dhoni said that country will always come first for him. Since however, he has more than made up for the lost time and has been seen with his bundle of joy on countless occasions - mostly clutching her close to his chest.
Not being with Sakshi during her stay at a Gurgaon maternity hospital was hard. "When she (Ziva) was born I was not in India, had not seen her. It was a tough period," Dhoni later said. He however did admit that his entire life has changed since he first saw the baby smile at him. "Your life does change with the kind of smile the baby gives you. She 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," he said. (Read more here)
Happy Birthday, @msdhoni. Here's wishing you a year full of happiness and success #HappyBirthdayDhoni pic.twitter.com/PFbLNgNZkD
- BCCI (@BCCI) July 7, 2015
Dhoni and Sakshi had also completed five years of wedded life last Saturday. On his first birthday as a father though, the India Test captain would know that having a daughter brings about a joy that no century, no trophy and no medal can ever come close to. Here's wishing India's 'Captain Cool' a happy birthday and a well-earned break with his daughter - far from the competitive world of international cricket.