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MS Dhoni: Top 10 innings in international cricket

Let us take a look at 'Captain Cool's' greatest knocks ever on the occasion of his 34th birthday.

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MS Dhoni is the greatest match winner in limited overs cricket India have ever  produced © Getty Images
MS Dhoni is the greatest match winner in limited overs cricket India have ever produced © Getty Images

MS Dhoni, born July 7, 1981, celebrates his 34th birthday on Tuesday. Shiamak Unwalla takes a look at 10 of his greatest innings in international cricket. These are not necessarily his highest scores, but innings which either ensured an Indian victory, or showed his immense courage in the face of adversity. The innings are arranged in chronological order.

1. India vs Pakistan 2005, 2nd ODI at Visakhapatnam: 148 (123)

This was the knock that started it all. The “Ranchi Rambo” persona that Dhoni embodied at the start of his career was first seen at Vizag when Dhoni, playing only his fifth ODI, was sent in at No. 3 as a pinch hitter. He was slightly overshadowed initially by Virender Sehwag (who scored a 40-ball 74), but soon came into his elements.

Dhoni’s 123-ball 148 included 15 fours and four huge sixes as India amassed 356 and won by 58 runs.

2. India vs Sri Lanka 2005, 2nd ODI at Jaipur: 183* (145)

When Marvan Atapattu won the toss and elected to bat first at Jaipur, he would have been thrilled with a score of 298 for 4. Kumar Sangakkara scored a tremendous 138 not out opening the innings, and was backed up by Mahela Jayawardene’s 71.

When Sachin Tendulkar was out for just 2 in response, Rahul Dravid pulled a rabbit out of his hat and sent Dhoni — by now an upcoming star and reputed hitter — at No. 3. What followed was unadulterated carnage.

Early on in his innings, Dhoni drove Chaminda Vaas over covers for six, thereby setting the tone for the butchery that followed. His unbeaten 145-ball 183 included 15 fours and 10 sixes — then an ODI record.

3. Pakistan vs India 2006, 2nd Test at Faisalabad: 148 (153)

The parallels between Dhoni’s maiden ODI and Test centuries were uncanny. Both came in the second match of the series, both were in Dhoni’s fifth match of the format, both came against Pakistan, and both were the same score: 148.

Pakistan piled on a huge 588 thanks to centuries from Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi. In response, Rahul Dravid scored 103, VVS Laxman and Irfan Pathan made 90 each, but it was Dhoni’s 148 that turned the tide. His 153-ball knock comprised of 19 fours and four sixes. One of the most memorable was a hook shot off Shoaib Akhtar that disappeared over square leg.

4. Pakistan vs India 2006, 5th ODI at Karachi: 77* (56)

That Pakistan tour was perhaps the coming of age of Dhoni. After going through a slew of wicketkeepers since the early 2000s India had finally found their mainstay. Dhoni was outstanding in the ODI series that followed the Tests, but it was the fifth ODI at Karachi that established the Yuvraj Singh-Dhoni partnership as a defining one for India in ODIs.

Chasing Pakistan’s 286, India were off to a solid start with Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid adding 69 in 15 overs. By the time Dravid was out, India had scored 141 in the 31st over. India had wickets in hand, but the required run rate was a steep 7.42 per over. Remember, this was before the T20 era.

Dhoni and Yuvraj were unruffled. At the end of the 39th over, India needed 91 off 11 overs at 8.27. The duo managed to get at least one boundary off every single over after that, till the equation came down to a manageable 28 off 30. Dhoni then hit Mohammad Asif for two fours and a six in the 46th over, and then finished the match with two sixes off Mohammad Sami in the 47th over. Dhoni’s 77 not out came off 56 balls with six fours and four sixes.

5. Asia XI vs Africa XI 2007, 3rd ODI at Chennai: 139* (97)

One of the best innings Dhoni ever played was not for India at all. Playing for Asia XI in the Afro-Asia Cup, Dhoni scored a scintillating 139 not out off only 97 balls. What was truly outstanding though, was the match situation in which he scored the runs. Asia were reeling at 51 for 4, and were soon 72 for 5 when Dhoni came in at No. 7 to join Mahela Jayawardene.

The duo put on 218 for the sixth wicket, with both men scoring centuries. Their partnership was the highest for the sixth wicket in ODIs till it was broken in 2015 by Grant Elliott and Luke Ronchi. Dhoni hit 15 fours and five sixes in the knock, as Asia XI won by a mere 13 runs.

6. India vs Sri Lanka ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Final at Mumbai: 91* (79)

Which is the most iconic six in World Cup history? For an Indian fan, two possible contenders come to mind: Tendulkar’s upper-cut against Akhtar in 2003, and Dhoni’s 2011 World Cup-winning hit over long on off Nuwan Kulasekara.

Dhoni, who had never scored a World Cup half-century in any format till then, chose the grandest stage imaginable to break the rut. After Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli were back in the hut, Dhoni promoted himself ahead of Man of the Tournament Yuvraj. The resultant 91 not out is among the finest ever innings by a captain in a World Cup final. ALSO READ: MS Dhoni guides India to victory in 2011 World Cup Final

7. Australia vs India 2012, 4th ODI at Adelaide: 44* (58)

If ever there has been a question over who is the greatest finisher in ODI history, an innings like this that put that question to rest. Australia scored 269 for 8 in the 4th ODI at Adelaide in the Triangular Series also involving Sri Lanka. Dhoni was not fully fit, but played the crucial match anyway.

Gautam Gambhir scored an excellent 92 at the top, but India kept losing wickets regularly. When Suresh Raina was out for a 30-ball 38, India were reeling at 239 for 5 in the 47th over. Ravindra Jadeja was unable to clear the ropes, and holed out for 12, leaving India at 257 for 6 in the 49th over. India now needed 13 off 8. Dhoni played out two dot balls.

Ravichandran Ashwin could only manage one off the next two balls. Dhoni was left with 12 to score off 4 balls. He proceeded to calmly hit a gigantic six over long on to bring the equation to 6 off 3. The bowler Clint McKay then bowled a waist-high full toss, which was hit for a couple. Dhoni finished proceedings with a three, as India won by 4 wickets with two balls to spare.

8. India vs Australia 2013, 1st Test at Chennai: 224 (265)

After playing Test cricket for eight years, Dhoni finally scored his maiden double century against Australia at his surrogate hometown of Chennai. It was an innings that set the tone for the series, as India whitewashed Australia 4-0.

Australia put on 380 batting first, and India responded well with Sachin Tendulkar scoring a sublime 81 and Virat Kohli making an excellent 107. Kohli was dismissed with India looking good at 324 for 5. India were soon 406 for 8, with Dhoni still in the middle. India had taken the lead, but it was a small one.

With Bhuvneshwar Kumar for company, Dhoni then tore into the Australian bowling. He thrashed 24 fours and six sixes in his 265-ball 224, smashing a few records along the way. His innings was the highest score by a captain-wicketkeeper-batsman in Tests.

9. India vs Sri Lanka 2013, West Indies Tri-Nation Final at Port of Spain: 45* (52)

It was another low-scoring thriller. India had recently triumphed in the ICC Champions Trophy 2013. They had lost one match each against Sri Lanka and West Indies, but had managed to scrape through to the final.

Once there, India managed to bowl Sri Lanka out for a paltry 201. The pitch was a treacherous one though; India lost Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli early. Rohit Sharma and Dinesh Karthik added 50 for the fourth wicket, but Karthik was dismissed soon thereafter. Rohit and Suresh Raina kept the fight going, but once they were out, India lost four wickets in rapid succession. Dhoni and Ishant Sharma managed to take the match to the final over, with India needing 15 to win with Dhoni on strike.

Shaminda Eranga, who had bowled nine overs for 34 with two wickets, came on with 15 runs to defend. The first ball was wide of off stump. Dhoni swung and missed. India now needed 15 off 5. The next ball was on a similar length but just slightly closer to the bat. It was enough for Dhoni; he sent it over long on. Eranga again targeted the line outside off, but Dhoni managed to punt the ball to the point boundary. With 5 needed off 3, Dhoni sent the ball over long off to complete yet another memorable final-over win.

10. England vs India 2014, 4th Test at Old Trafford: 71 (133)

The only innings on this list that did not result in an Indian victory, this was perhaps the bravest innings Dhoni ever played. Ever since India’s nightmarish tour of England in 2011, India had struggled overseas. Things finally seemed to be looking up after hard-fought series in South Africa and New Zealand. Coming back to the country where the slide began, India managed to draw the first Test at Trent Bridge before pulling off an amazing victory at Lord’s. However, England came back in the third Test at Southampton to decimate the Indians.

Then came the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Dhoni won the toss and chose to bat first in seaming conditions. James Anderson and Stuart Broad soon made Dhoni feel like a fool. Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Virat Kohli were out for ducks, while Gautam Gambhir scratched around for 4. India were 8 for 4 on the first morning as Dhoni walked out at No. 6.

He proceeded to show how, even with a lack of textbook technique, it was possible to succeed in seaming and swinging conditions. Dhoni repeatedly took blows on his arms, shoulders, and thighs. He did not use his bat unless he had to. He weathered the early storm almost by force of will alone, and ended up scoring 71 as India folded up for 152. It was an innings that showed the frontline batsmen how sheer determination and grit could help you score runs when even technique failed you. It was a true captain’s knock, coming from a man batting at an unfamiliar and uncomfortable position, having to face a brand new ball in torrid conditions. Though India lost, Dhoni’s valiant knock will forever be synonymous with courage shown on a cricket field.

(Shiamak Unwalla, a reporter with CricketCountry, is a self-confessed Sci-Fi geek who loves cricket more than cricketers. His Twitter handle is @ShiamakUnwalla)

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