MS Dhoni Birthday Special: Revisiting the Legendary Ex-India Captain's Top Five Knocks in International Cricket

When a young budding cricketer hailing from Ranchi named Mahendra Singh Dhoni entered the international arena on December 23, 2004, no one in their wildest of dreams would have thought that he would stamp his authority on the cricket field. But the wicketkeeper-batter showed immense grit and determination and made world cricket his happy hunting ground. 'MS Dhoni Ate Only Khichdi.......' Virender Sehwag Reveals MSD’s Special Diet During India’s 2011 World Cup Winning Campaign

In his illustrious international career spanning over 15 years, Dhoni tormented bowlers with his marauding bat and piled on runs for fun. Also, he was an inspirational leader and piloted India to many epic triumphs. Moreover, Dhoni was a force to be reckoned with behind the stumps. As we celebrate the 42nd birthday of the Indian legend on July 7, 2023, let us revisit some of his top batting displays in international cricket. Photo of MS Dhoni’s Giant 52 Feet Cut Out in Hyderabad Ahead of His 42nd Birthday Goes Viral

Top 5 Knocks of MS Dhoni in International Cricket

91* runs off 79 balls vs Sri Lanka, World Cup 2011

India and Sri Lanka took centre stage in the final showdown of the 2011 World Cup in Mumbai. Sri Lanka batted first and posted a formidable total of 274 runs on the board. India, in reply, were 114 for 3 in the 22nd over. The game was on a knife’s edge and entered Dhoni. He played according to the situation and stitched a 109-run stand with Gautam Gambhir. Though Gambhir was dismissed, the then-India skipper carried on milking runs and shepherded the Men in Blue to a historic triumph. The wicket-keeper-batter scored 91* runs off 79 balls.

183* runs off 145 balls vs Sri Lanka, 3rd ODI, Sri Lanka Tour of India, 2005

India crossed swords against Sri Lanka in the third game of the seven-match ODI series in Jaipur. Chasing the daunting target of 299, Dhoni put up a dominant show with the bat and hammered Sri Lankan bowlers all across the park. He blasted 183* runs off 145 balls to take his team across the line in the 47th over itself.

148 runs off 123 balls vs Pakistan, 2nd ODI, Pakistan Tour of India, 2005

India clashed with Pakistan in the second game of the six-match ODI series on April 2005 in Visakhapatnam. Dhoni was in his elements and knocked the wind out of the opposition's attack. He smashed 148 runs off 123 deliveries to help India post a mammoth score of 356 runs on the board. It was the legendary cricketer’s first international century. India ended up winning the game by 58 runs.

224 runs off 265 balls vs Australia, 1st Test, Australia Tour of India, 2013

India squared off against Australia in the first Test of the four-match Test series in Chennai in 2013. MS Dhoni put up an exhibition of his swashbuckling strokeplay and notched up a magnificent double century. He piled on 224 runs off 265 balls to help India post a gigantic total of 572 in their first innings. Moreover, Dhoni’s dazzling knock was a history-making one as he became the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter to breach the 200-mark in Test cricket.

45 runs off 33 balls vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2007

India took the stage alongside South Africa in a crunch group stage in the inaugural edition of the T20 World Cup in Durban. After electing to bat first, India were in a precarious situation at 61 for 4 in the 11th over. MS Dhoni entered the crease and joined hands with Rohit Sharma to bail India out of trouble. The wicketkeeper-batter played a brisk knock of 45 runs off 33 balls. The Men in Blue went on to post 153 runs in 20 overs and, eventually, won the game by 37 runs.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 07, 2023 06:30 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).