MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni

Source: [1], 25 September 2006

Mahendra Singh (MS) Dhoni (born July 7, 1981 in Ranchi, Jharkhand) is an Indian cricketer. He is an aggressive right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper. He is currently ranked eigth in the official ICC cricket rankings for batsmen in Limited over internationals (as of September 25, 2006).

He was picked to play for the Indian cricket team in December 2004 and has been a regular member of the Indian one-day international team since then. His success in the limited overs format has also secured him a Test spot, and he is rapidly becoming one of the most famous & marketable icons in India, noted for his shoulder length hair.

Career

Dhoni (affectionately known as Mahi), made his debut for Jharkhand in the 1999-2000 season as an eighteen year old. He started off his career with modest performances at the local level. He was noticed by the national team selectors in 2004 after his performances in first class tournaments such as the Deodhar Trophy and the Duleep Trophy. Dhoni was selected to represent India 'A' on a tour of Kenya and his performances were good enough to win him selection in the Indian national team, making his one-day international debut against Bangladesh in Chittagong in December of that year.

Dhoni's best performance for India thus far was an unbeaten score of 183 off 145 balls against Sri Lanka at Jaipur on 31 October 2005, equalling the second best score by an Indian in ODIs. It was also the highest innings recorded by a wicket-keeper, and the highest number of sixes in an innings for a wicketkeeper with ten (all-rounders Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi have hit 11). He also broke Saeed Anwar's record of most runs scored off boundaries by scoring a total of 120 runs off 4s and 6s eclipsing the previous record of 118. [2] This has broken the record for the highest individual score for a team batting second. This has also established the new Indian record of number of sixes in a match, overtaking previous record holders, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly (both hit seven 6's in a match). Earlier, in 2005 he scored 148 against Pakistan in Vishakapatnam, in his fifth one-day international; the score came off only 123 deliveries.

At the end of the year Dhoni was rewarded a BCCI contract, starting with a B-grade contract.

Dhoni's current batting average in ODIs is just over 50 (as of April 2006), the highest by any Indian player with more than 20 innings. With a career ODI batting strike rate of more than 100 he remains the only batsman with the unique double of a 50+ average scored at more than a run a ball. Currently, Dhoni has one of the highest strike rates in the world (103.00 runs per hundred balls). With 44 sixes in 38 ODI innings, Dhoni has hit more sixes than he's played international matches.

Following his good one-day form against Sri Lanka, he ousted Dinesh Karthik in December 2005 as the Indian Test wicketkeeper. Shoaib gave him a bouncer first up which surprised Dhoni and in his follow through Shoaib told him exactly what he thought of him. His reply was to hit Shoaib for 42 runs (5 fours and a six) of 28 deliveries from Shoaib and made his maiden Test century against Pakistan in the 2nd Test at Faisalabad in January 2006, reaching the landmark in just 93 balls. Shoaib at one stage of that innings got hit for 3 fours off 4 balls and therefore bowled a full toss at chest height; and it was Dhoni's turn to have a word or two. In total he made a 148 in that match of 153 balls; 19 fours and 4 sixes. Dhoni's career batting average at the end of the ODI series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi stands at 52.76, which is the fourth highest for any batsman having scored at least 1,000 runs in one-day internationals, behind Australians, Mike Hussey Michael Bevan, and Englishman Kevin Pietersen. [3]

However, in the third Test against England, Dhoni attracted some criticism when losing his wicket after playing an injudicious shot. India went from 75-3 to 100 all out to lose the match .

Just after the 2006 Test match Loss against England,which resulted in a 1-1 levelled series, Dhoni requested for more crowd support and he was obliged with the same, the team going to win the ODI Series that followed the Tests, his fans seem to be increasing by leaps and bounds and is received to a a rousing reception whenever he comes into bat.

On 22nd April 2006, Dhoni overtook Ricky Ponting as number one in the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, and however he was soon dethroned, he continues to be in the Top 10.

In the 2006 India tour of the West Indies, where India won the Test series 1-0, Dhoni had a relatively average outing, aggregating a substandard 24.00 with the bat, his only score of note being the belligerent 69 in the first Test at Antigua. He also took 13 catches and had 4 stumpings in the series. India were defeated 4-1 in the ODIs that preceded the Test series, where Dhoni averaged only 23.75, his highest being 46 not out, with 5 catches.

Records

• On 31st October 2005 Mahendra Dhoni scored 183* runs of just 145 balls, accompanying that there are a list of records which he broke
  • He hit 10 Sixes, the most by an Indian in an Innings, and the second highest in ODI cricket (The highest is 11 by Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi)
  • He broke Adam Gilchrist's record of 172 for the highest score made by a wicket keeper
  • He is the second highest in scoring maximum runs in boundaries after Herschelle Gibbs of South Africa
    • In this match Kumar Sangakkara also made a century, making it the first match in which both wicket keepers scored a century
• He has an average of 48.89 giving him the 4th highest average in the world overall
  • The highest Indian average
  • Highest average for a wicketkeeper.
  • 2nd Highest average among those who have made more than 1200 runs in one day international cricket
  • Highest strike rate among the top 5 averages
• He has a strike rate of 100.96 giving him the sixth highest strike rate overall
  • The highest by an Indian
  • The 4th highest among players who have made more than 1000 runs in International Cricket
• In April 2006 Dhoni was briefly ranked No.1 in the ICC one day Batsmen's ratings. He is currently ranked No. 4 after a poor series in the West Indies.

Statistics are true as of 30/4/06

Trivia

• He is well known to drink loads of milk, about a litre everyday.
• He has recently imported a Suzuki Hayabusa, the one John Abraham used in Dhoom and owns in real.

Teams

International

• India (current)
• India - A

Indian first-class

• Jharkhand (current)
• East Zone (current)
• Bihar

Career highlights

One-day internationals

• ODI debut: vs Bangladesh, Chittagong, 2004-2005
• Highest batting Score: Dhoni's best ODI batting score of 183* was made against Sri Lanka, Jaipur, 2005-2006

Test Matches

• Test debut: Dhoni started his career versus Sri Lanka at Chennai in 2005/06 season.
• Maiden Test hundred: at Faisalabad in the 2005/06 season.
• Highest batting score: 148 vs Pakistan at Faisalabad in the 2005/06 season.

External links

• Sportstar interview