For the average cricket follower, Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s lack of emotion and expression on the field can get exasperating at times. The sight of an unruffled man taking guard with a boundary needed off the final delivery is unsettling.
And then it comes – the mighty heave, with the brawny underhand coming into play. You gasp, you marvel, and then you scream in jubilation. The man in the middle absorbs the applause, the celebrations with the same calmness on his face. To him, it was a routine – one that every Indian would get accustomed to.
Once the world’s best finisher in limited overs cricket, Dhoni’s prowess in ODIs is a subject of admiration.
Ahead of his 35th birthday, Sport 360 takes a look at five of his innings that stood out for their quality and greatness.
183* VS SRI LANKA AT JAIPUR, 2005
The one innings that inevitably comes to mind whenever Dhoni’s ODI knocks become a subject of discussion is the iconic 183 not out against Sri Lanka in 2005. This wasn’t the first time he had conjured a magnificent innings under pressure, but it was this innings that stamped his authority on the biggest stage as a capable and reliable finisher.
Promoted to No. 3 after India lost Sachin Tendulkar in the very first over of the chase, Dhoni starred with a 40-ball half century. He completed the next fifty runs in 45 deliveries, courtesy of a few lusty blows to the stands.
En route to recording the highest score by a wicketkeeper in ODIs, Dhoni made a complete mockery of Sri Lanka’s 298 runs as India sealed victory with six wickets to spare. To this day, it remains the right-hander’s highest score in the limited overs international.
91* VS SRI LANKA AT MUMBAI, 2011
For an international cricketer, it does not get bigger than the World Cup final. Having led the nation to a number of series wins since the 2007 World T20 triumph, it was apt that Dhoni turned out to be the one scoring the winning runs for India in the 2011 World Cup final.
India had been in difficulty at 114/3 chasing a target of 275 when the skipper backed himself and went out to bat ahead of regular No. 5, Yuvraj Singh. It could have been a disastrous move, but Dhoni stepped up to deliver a totemic display.
He stitched a 109-run partnership with Gautam Gambhir and after the latter’s fall, he went on to demolish the Lankans alongside Yuvraj Singh. At 85 off 78 balls, Dhoni ended the 28-year long wait for the coveted trophy.
95 VS WEST INDIES AT KINGSTON, 2009
The second ODI of India’s tour to West Indies in 2009 witnessed a stunning display of fast bowling from the Caribbean quicks. Batting first, India’s top order was sent back to the pavilion within the first two overs and it was all down to the skipper and Yuvraj Singh to stage a comeback from 7/3.
Singh perished in the 13th over, and soon Dhoni found himself batting with the No. 10. With the odds stacked against him, Dhoni was forced to shun his natural game and build whatever he could with the limited resources at his disposal.
He opted for the batting powerplay in the 23rd over, refused singles to RP Singh and successfully completed a century stand with him for the ninth wicket – the only fifth such in ODI history. India lost the ultimate battle, but Dhoni had seen to it that they hadn’t surrendered meekly.
Dhoni was eventually dismissed by Jerome Taylor.
58 VS SRI LANKA AT ADELAIDE, 2012
Dhoni’s romance with Sri Lanka continued even after the 2011 World Cup final. While he could not emulate his Wankhede heroics at Adelaide Oval a year later, he did enough to deny the Lankans the sweet taste of victory.
A target of 237 isn’t scary in modern day cricket, but the Indian batsmen made it appear so with an avalanche of devastating dismissals. Dhoni did manage to spend some time with Gautam Gambhir in the middle, but that was before the southpaw returned to the pavilion with 59 runs still required for victory.
A few overs later, the equation was down to 14 from 8 with two wickets remaining. Dhoni struck a boundary and stole singles to make it four required from the final ball. He then managed to miscue Lasith Malinga over extra cover for three runs, thereby ensuring a nervous tie.
72* VS PAKISTAN AT LAHORE, 2006
Having scored a memorable century against Pakistan just a year ago, the long-haired Dhoni barely panicked when he found himself walking into the crease with India needing 99 runs from the remaining 15 overs. As the Indian section of the crowd braced themselves for a demoralizing defeat, one man from Jharkhand prepared for the onslaught he was about to unleash.
With Yuvraj Singh easing through deliveries at the other end, Dhoni settled on playing his natural game. What ensued was the art of a maverick.
He exploited the gaps well and didn’t hesitate to take the aerial route when necessary. By the time he had sealed the match for his team, Dhoni had smashed 13 boundaries at a strike-rate of 156.
SPECIAL MENTIONS:
148 vs Pakistan at Vishakapatnam, 2005
124 vs Australia at Nagpur, 2009
