India's former skipper MS Dhoni has formally requested that his nickname "Captain Cool" be trademarked. This establishes the connection between his cricketing life and business acumen. His fans and the media adore the name since it reflects how cool he remains under stress and how cool-headed he is on the field as the captain.

Dhoni's June 2023 application was recently approved and published by the Kolkata office of the Trademarks Registry. The official journal printed the mark on June 16, 2025, beginning a 120-day window for others to object. If no one else objects, Dhoni will own the name.

The trademark falls under Class 41, which includes education, sports training, entertainment, and cultural activities. This means Dhoni wants to use the name for things like coaching academies, training programs, sports content, and other cricket-related services.

Dhoni’s Trademark Move Is About Protecting His Legacy

For years, “Captain Cool” wasn’t just a fun nickname, it became a big part of Dhoni’s identity. From guiding India to victory in the 2007 T20 World Cup, hitting the winning six in the 2011 ODI World Cup final, and then hoisting the 2013 Champions Trophy, Dhoni became the first captain to win all three of the big ICC white-ball trophies. His level-headedness under pressure and his calmness to think clearly made him a reliable leader. Today, he is cashing that image into a brand.

But the journey was not easy. His lawyer, Mansi Aggarwal, says the Trademarks Registry initially opposed, saying that another company, Prabha Skill Sports (OPC) Pvt Ltd, had already registered the same nickname. Dhoni's lawyers argued that the mark was registered in bad faith and that the company was trying to capitalise on his fame.

Also, they showed how Dhoni has long been synonymous with the nickname "Captain Cool" in the media, on social media, and among cricket fans for nearly 20 years. The application was granted after several hearings.

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If nobody objects to the trademark in the next few months, Dhoni will have sole authority over what the name is used for, whether for merchandise, academies, branding, or online content.

This is a growing trend among famous athletes. Stars like Cristiano Ronaldo (CR7) and Michael Jordan (Jumpman) have built strong personal brands from their sports careers. Dhoni is now taking a similar step to protect and grow his brand off the field.

More Than a Nickname: Dhoni’s Legacy Lives On

"Captain Cool" is more than a nickname to Dhoni; it's an allusion to an Indian cricket golden age. Millions of people were inspired by his captaincy, which formed winning teams. By trademarking the term, Dhoni guarantees that the phrase will forever be linked with him, both legally and in the eyes of his fans.

Dhoni, now 43, last played in the 2025 Indian Premier League, where he took over captaincy of the Chennai Super Kings halfway through the season after Ruturaj Gaikwad was injured. CSK did not have a great season and had a rare low finish at the bottom of the table. Dhoni's popularity and respect, however, remain very high. As a reward for his immortal contribution to the sport, he was recently inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.

As he reaches 44 this July, Dhoni hasn't closed the door on playing another season of IPL. Whether he comes out to play or not, the "Captain Cool" franchise is here to stay in the form of merchandise, cricket schools, or training modules that may bear his name. By obtaining legal rights to a name synonymous with his captaincy, MS Dhoni is doing much more than safeguarding a nickname; he's ensuring his legacy for generations to come.

The legendary wicketkeeper-batter and former India captain MS Dhoni, who is known as the evergreen ‘captain cool,’ turned 43 on Sunday. Dhoni, famous for his calm and brilliant captaincy both in international cricket and the IPL, led Team India to three major ICC trophies. He retired from all forms of cricket on 15 August 2020 ending a remarkable career.

Dhoni’s leadership saw India achieve top honors in all formats. Under his captaincy, India held the top Test ranking for 18 months starting in December 2009, won the One day World Cup in 2011, and secured the T20 world title in 2007 on his captaincy debut.

From ticket collector to cricket icon

Dhoni’s journey is one of the most inspiring in sports history. He went from being a ticket collector at a railway station to becoming India’s most successful captain, leading the team to the ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011, and ICC Champions Trophy in 2013. He made his international debut in 2004 and became known for his aggressive batting, later evolving into a strategic finisher.

Dhoni played 98 T20Is for India, scoring 1,617 runs at an average of 37.60 and a strike rate of 126.13. In Tests, he played 90 matches, scoring 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09, with six centuries and 33 half centuries. He is India’s 14th highest scorer in Tests.

Dhoni’s captaincy and strategic brilliance

As captain, Dhoni led India in 60 Test matches, winning 27, losing 18, and drawing 15, with a win percentage of 45.00. He led India to the number one ranking in ICC Test Rankings and is the only Indian skipper to whitewash Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, achieving this in the 2010-11 and 2012-13 series. He also led Chennai Super Kings to five IPL titles and two Champions League T20 titles.

Dhoni played 264 IPL matches, mostly for CSK, and some for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016-2017. In these matches, he scored 5,243 runs at an average of 39.13, with 24 half-centuries, 152 catches, and 42 stumpings.

With such impressive statistics as a middle-order batter and a captain, it is unlikely that India and world cricket will see another phenomenon like ‘captain cool’ again.