India, July 7 -- Former India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni celebrated his 44th birthday on Monday, July 7, with close friends and family in his hometown of Ranchi. A video of Dhoni cutting a cake and laughing heartily quickly went viral on social media, delighting fans as the Indian legend-dressed casually in a sleeveless T-shirt-shared cake and smiles with loved ones.

Such is Dhoni's stature worldwide that tributes begun pouring in even before the celebrations kicked off. In places like Vijayawada, fans erected massive cutouts of Dhoni, reminiscent of South Indian movie stars. Supporters waved Chennai Super Kings flags and held up posters of Dhoni dressed in traditional South Indian attire, highlighting his enduring bond with CSK since ...