Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the calm-eyed tactician of Indian cricket, is one step away from owning the moniker that has followed him through record-breaking finishes and last-over dramas — Captain Cool. The Trade Marks Registry has officially greenlit his application to trademark the phrase, nudging it into the public domain via the official journal on June 16, 2025.
Filed under Class 41, the application isn’t just a vanity label. It seeks exclusive rights over the use of Captain Cool for services in education, entertainment, and all things sporty — including coaching and training.
But the road wasn’t frost-free. The Registry initially raised its eyebrow under Section 11(1) of the Trade Marks Act, 1999, due to a prior claim on the same mark by Prabha Skill Sports (OPC) Private Limited for gaming services. The worry? That the cricket legend’s claim might confuse audiences already familiar with the existing registered trademark.
Dhoni’s legal camp, however, had a trump card: identity. They argued that Captain Cool isn’t just a catchy phrase — it’s Dhoni himself. A tag burned into the psyche of a billion cricket fans. And the Trade Marks Registry agreed. In its decision, the Senior Examiner stated that the term had “acquired a distinct secondary meaning” in direct reference to Dhoni, noting it as “closely and uniquely associated with the applicant’s persona.”
With that, the objection was iced.
Now begins the four-month countdown. From June 16 through mid-October 2025, anyone with a legitimate gripe — another brand, company, or mark-holder — can file an opposition. If none step forward, the mark will be officially Dhoni’s, giving him the legal backing to own and use Captain Cool in the world of sports and entertainment.
One more title for the man who’s already won them all — this time, in the arena of intellectual property.
