There was a big surprise when India took the field against New Zealand in the third ODI against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui with Dinesh Karthik donning the wickekeeping gloves.
MS Dhoni’s name was missing from the playing XI with the veteran wicketkeeper batsman missing out due to a sore hamstring.
Injuries are part and parcel of the modern game but MS Dhoni has always been an outlier in that regard. Despite being 37 years of age, Dhoni is still one of the fittest cricketers going around in the international arena with his running between the wickets a sight to behold.
Monday’s ODI was the first that the India stalwart has missed due to injury over almost six years. The last time Dhoni failed to play an ODI due to injury was in 2013 during the tri-series in the West Indies also involving Sri Lanka.
Two changes to the Playing XI. MS Dhoni has been rested due to a sore hamstring and Hardik Pandya plays his first game of the tour #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/O156G5hsVF
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 28, 2019
In fact, the veteran has missed only five ODIs in total due to injury over the course of his 14-year international career. The only two other one-dayers Dhoni has missed since making his India debut came against South Africa and Ireland in 2007 due to a viral fever.
The Ranchi-born man has been in fine form with the bat in 2019 after undergoing a miserable time last year where he failed to register a single half-century in the 50-over format. Dhoni struck three half-centuries in as many matches in India’s recent 2-1 win over Australia where he was named as the man-of-the-series.
He followed that up with an unbeaten 48 off just 33 deliveries in India’s 90-run win over New Zealand in the second ODI.
In his overall career so far, Dhoni has played a total of 337 ODIs and has scored over 10,400 runs at an average of over 51 with the help of 10 tons and 70 half-centuries.
