MS Dhoni

India

Full name Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Born July 7, 1981, Ranchi

Current age 29 years 225 days

Major teams India, Asia XI, Bihar, Chennai Super Kings, Jharkhand

Also known as Mahi

Playing role Wicketkeeper batsman

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm medium

Fielding position Wicketkeeper

• World Cup Profile
• Full Profile

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
Tests	54	82	9	2925	148	40.06	4849	60.32	4	20	321	51	148	25
ODIs	177	158	39	5808	183*	48.80	6615	87.80	7	37	446	119	174	57
T20Is	26	25	8	451	46	26.52	404	111.63	0	0	26	13	11	3
First-class	95	148	12	5087	148	37.40			7	34			256	44
List A	233	210	49	7810	183*	48.50			13	48			241	72
Twenty20	79	72	24	1698	73*	35.37	1321	128.53	0	7	131	55	32	19

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
Tests	54	3	18	19	0	-	-	-	6.33	-	0	0	0
ODIs	177	1	12	14	1	1/14	1/14	14.00	7.00	12.0	0	0	0
T20Is	26	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
First-class	95		48	39	0	-	-	-	4.87	-	0	0	0
List A	233		39	36	2	1/14	1/14	18.00	5.53	19.5	0	0	0
Twenty20	79	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

Career statistics

Test debut	India v Sri Lanka at Chennai, Dec 2-6, 2005 scorecard
Last Test	South Africa v India at Cape Town, Jan 2-6, 2011 scorecard
Test statistics	- Statsguru Test analysis - Player analysis menu/filter Test match list --------------------------------- Batting career summary Batting innings list High scores Batting series averages --------------------------------- Bowling career summary Bowling innings list Bowling match list Best innings bowling Best match bowling Bowling series averages --------------------------------- Fielding career summary Fielding innings list Most dismissals in an innings Fielding series statistics
ODI debut	Bangladesh v India at Chittagong, Dec 23, 2004 scorecard
Last ODI	South Africa v India at Centurion, Jan 23, 2011 scorecard
ODI statistics	- Statsguru ODI analysis - Player analysis menu/filter ODI match list --------------------------------- Batting career summary Batting innings list High scores Batting series averages --------------------------------- Bowling career summary Bowling innings list Bowling series averages --------------------------------- Fielding career summary Fielding innings list Most dismissals in an innings Fielding series statistics
T20I debut	South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006 scorecard
Last T20I	South Africa v India at Durban, Jan 9, 2011 scorecard
T20I statistics	- Statsguru T20I analysis - Player analysis menu/filter T20I match list --------------------------------- Batting career summary Batting innings list High scores Batting series averages --------------------------------- Fielding career summary Fielding innings list Most dismissals in an innings Fielding series statistics
First-class debut	1999/00
Last First-class	South Africa v India at Cape Town, Jan 2-6, 2011 scorecard
List A debut	1999/00
Last List A	South Africa v India at Centurion, Jan 23, 2011 scorecard
Twenty20 debut	South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006 scorecard
Last Twenty20	South Africa v India at Durban, Jan 9, 2011 scorecard

Profile

There was a time when the very idea of an Indian cricketer rivalling Sachin Tendulkar in the popularity stakes bordered on the preposterous. But the advent of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his meteoric rise through the ranks did just that, with a new generation transfixed by a small-town boy whose personality and background couldn't have been more different from that of Tendulkar.

Few had heard of him as a 23-year-old when he savaged a Pakistan A side in Nairobi. There had been the odd excited whispers from those who watched his big-hitting exploits in Kolkata club cricket, but hardly anyone expected that he would be playing for India within months of that Kenyan safari. In his fifth game, he lashed a matchwinning 148 against Pakistan and later in the year, he clubbed 183 against Sri Lanka. Such was the impact of his strokeplay that a far-from-polished wicketkeeping technique was almost ignored as he was fast-tracked into the Test side.

Within two years of that, he was leading an inexperienced team to glory in the inaugural World Twenty20, and winning the last tri-series to be held in Australia. When Anil Kumble handed over the Test reins in 2008, he celebrated with a home victory against Australia. Apart from the World Twenty20 win, his leadership also oversaw India's rise to the pinnacle of the Test ladder, and a massively successful three years for the Chennai Super Kings franchise that did well in each of the first three seasons of the IPL before winning the event in 2010, and going a step further to claim the Champions League in the same year.

Off the field, his Samson mane and fondness for fast bikes marked him down as Mr Cool, and though the haircut eventually became short-back-and-sides, the cool quotient never wavered. He was seldom flustered on the field either, batting and leading the side with poise and assuredness. Not for him the sustained harangue or the bloody oath.

He fine-tuned his game too, becoming a safe keeper and a batsman capable of shifting through the gears as he pleased. Sometimes discomfited by the short ball, he compensated with astonishing power in his preferred hitting zones. The scythe over midwicket, even to yorker-length deliveries, drove bowlers to distraction, and his mastery of the 50-over game is revealed by a batting average that remains over 50 after more than 150 games.

He remains the advertiser's dream and a poster boy for modern-day India, but off the field, Dhoni has seldom courted attention or publicity. Even his wedding was a low-key family affair, and now nearing 30, he remains content to make the big statements where they need to be made, out on the field.
Dileep Premachandran

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Timeline

• August 16 and 19, 2004
  An "A" tour
  • Scores consecutive centuries against Pakistan A, which guide India A into the final of the triangular tournament. Is named Man of the Series.
    
• December 23, Chittagong
  An uncharacteristic start
  • At 23, makes his ODI debut in Chittagong, and is run out for a duck. Finishes the three-match series with 19 runs.
    
• February 8, 2005
  Missing Test selection
  • Smashes an unbeaten 102 off 96 balls for India Seniors against India B in the Challenger Series. However, Dinesh Karthik is picked to keep wicket for the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan.
    
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• April 5, 2005
  Hello, India
  • Picked for the home ODI series against Pakistan, captures the imagination of the country by plundering 148 off 123 balls at No. 3 in only his fifth ODI innings. This is the first one-day century by an Indian wicketkeeper - barring Rahul Dravid. India pile up a mammoth 356, and take a 2-0 lead in the series.
    
• October 31, 2005
  Double the fun
  • Having established himself in the one-day side, shatters records by smashing 183 not out off 145 balls with 15 fours and 10 sixes in Jaipur, as India successfully chase Sri Lanka's 298. It is the highest ODI score by a wicketkeeper, and spurs India to a 3-0 series lead. Is adjudged Man of the Series after India beat Sri Lanka 6-1.
    
• December 2, 2005
  Tests, here I come
  • Makes his Test debut in Chennai, and scores 30 in a rain-ruined match against Sri Lanka.
    
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• December 12, 2005
  Early to rise
  • Scores his maiden Test half-century - 51 off 51 balls - in the second innings of the Delhi Test against Sri Lanka, and adds unbeaten 104 runs for the seventh wicket with Yuvraj Singh, a partnership that puts the Test beyond Sri Lanka's reach.
    
• January 23-24, 2006
  Have shots, will play
  • First Test century. At 281 for 5 in reply to Pakistan's 588 in Faisalabad, India are facing a charged-up Shoaib Akhtar and a follow-on looms large. Plays an array of memorable hooks, and blitzes his way to 148 off 153 balls, and gives India a 15-run lead.
    
• February 6, 13, 19, 2006
  Finishing moves
  • Continues his excellent ODI form in Pakistan, and develops a reputation of a finisher, scoring 68 off 53 balls, 72 off 46 balls, and 77 off 56 in the five-match series in Pakistan, which India win 4-1.
    
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• April 20, 2006
  At the top of the world
  • With an average over 52 after 42 matches, at a strike-rate of 103, displaces Ricky Ponting as the No. 1 batsman in the ICC ODI rankings.
    
• May 10, 2007
  Winning on one leg
  • Battles cramps and saves India further ODI embarrassment after the World Cup. Chasing Bangladesh's 250 in Mirpur, India are in a disarray at 63 for 3, but he steers them home with 91 off 106 balls.
    
• July 23, 2007
  Serene saviour
  • Saves the Lord's Test with a dour innings by his standards. Chasing a target of 380 in the first Test, India are 145 for 5 with the best part of the final day remaining. Shelves his cavalier approach, rides his luck, bats for over three hours, and faces 159 balls for his 76 not out. Manages to hang on until rain forces a premature end to the Test with India on 282 for 9. India go on to win the three-Test series 1-0.
    
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• August 7, 2007
  One who will
  • Is named India's captain for the ICC World Twenty20, after Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly have opted out of the competition.
    
• September 18, 2007
  Natural progression
  • Following Rahul Dravid's resignation as captain, is chosen to lead India's ODI side.
    
• September 24, 2007
  Sensational in South Africa
  • No-one gives India a chance, but leads the to the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 title. His captaincy comes in for plenty of praise.
    
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• February-March, 2008
  His own man
  • Comes in for criticism for bold non-selections of Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid for the CB Series. Is vindicated as India go on to win the Australian triangular event for the first time, beating Australia 2-0 in the final series.
    
• April 11-13, 2008
  Test captain
  • In Anil Kumble's absence, captains in Tests for the first time, and India beat South Africa in three days on a Kanpur minefield to level the series 1-1.
    
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Best Performances

• 148 v Pakistan, Visakhapatman, 2004-05
  • Dhoni is playing his fifth ODI and walks in at No. 3 after Sachin Tendulkar has fallen in the fourth over. The pitch is flat, and Dhoni cashes in in a spectacular manner. He scores his maiden ODI century, 148 off 123 balls with 15 fours and four sixes, and by the time he's done Virender Sehwag's 74 off 40 balls has been overshadowed. It is the highest score by an Indian wicketkeeper - barring Rahul Dravid - and by the time Dhoni is out, India are 289 for 4 in the 42nd over.
    
• 183 v Sri Lanka, Jaipur, 2005-06
  • Sri Lanka set India a formidable 299 to win, and India lose Tendulkar in the first over. But Dhoni, promoted to No. 3, plunders 183 off 145 balls, and takes India to victory with 23 balls to spare. His innings includes 15 fours and 10 sixes, and it is the highest score by a wicketkeeper, the highest individual score batting second, and it has the highest number of runs scored in boundaries at the time.
    
• 148 v Pakistan, Faisalabad 2005-06
  • After Pakistan have scored 588 in the first innings, India are in danger of conceding a massive first-innings lead after losing their top five for 281. Dhoni disregards the match situation, matched fire with fire, and what follows is a breathless knock that kills any chances of a result in the Test. A fired-up Shoaib Akhtar steams in and peppers Dhoni with a barrage of short balls, but Dhoni responds with a thrilling counterattack, hooking and pulling with aggression that almost approaches recklessness. He hits four sixes and 19 fours in his innings for 148, which take him only 153 balls. By the time he is out, India trail by only 97 runs.
    
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• 76 v England at Lord's, 2007
  • This is perhaps Dhoni's most valuable innings, for it helps India avoid impending defeat and provides the turnaround for a historic series victory in England. He has played an atrocious shot to get out for a duck in the first innings, and is the last of India's recognised batsmen, when at 145 for 5 India need to bat for more than two sessions to save the Test. He adds 86 for the sixth wicket with VVS Laxman who gets out with India on 231 for 6. Dhoni rides his luck, survives several edges and bats for 159 balls for his 76. He keeps losing partners, but manages to hang on with Sreesanth, the No 11, until the rain, which has threatened to arrive all day, finally does and ends the Test.
    
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Cricinfo picks - Our top articles on this player

• 'If there's commitment, that's victory for me' (Mar 24, 2008)
  India's one-day and Twenty20 captain looks back at six momentuous months in charge
• Road warrior (Mar 17, 2008)
  Mahendra Singh Dhoni has played the most internationals of anyone in the last 15 months. How long can he keep going at this rate before something gives?

Batting and fielding averages

	Mat	Inns	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	BF	SR	100	50	4s	6s	Ct	St
World Cup	3	3	0	29	29	9.66	29	100.00	0	0	2	1	5	2
ODIs	177	158	39	5808	183*	48.80	6615	87.80	7	37	446	119	174	57
List A	233	210	49	7810	183*	48.50			13	48			241	72

Bowling averages

	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10
World Cup	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
ODIs	177	1	12	14	1	1/14	1/14	14.00	7.00	12.0	0	0	0
List A	233		39	36	2	1/14	1/14	18.00	5.53	19.5	0	0	0

Limited Overs Career Statistics

World Cup span	2007-2007
ODI debut	Bangladesh v India at Chittagong, Dec 23, 2004 scorecard
Last ODI	South Africa v India at Centurion, Jan 23, 2011 scorecard
List A debut	1999/00
Last List A	South Africa v India at Centurion, Jan 23, 2011 scorecard