During his impressive career, Dhoni played 90 Test matches, 350 One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 98 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). He scored 4876 runs in Tests, 10,773 runs in ODIs, and 1617 runs in T20Is. Dhoni was also a skilled wicketkeeper, ending his international career with 634 catches and 195 stumpings.
Dhoni, a legendary Indian cricketer, is most remembered for his outstanding performances in one-day cricket. He scored 10 centuries and 73 half-centuries during his ODI career.
Below are five of his remarkable but lesser-known innings in this format.
5. (96 off 106) vs England in Jamshedpur, April 2006
Dhoni batted at the start with Virender Sehwag, who was the captain because Rahul Dravid was resting. Dhoni usually doesn’t bat first, but he did well. He made 96 runs from 106 balls, hitting 10 fours and three sixes.
Dhoni was very close to scoring 100 runs but missed by just four runs. He got out to a slower ball from Sajid Mahmood, hitting it to midwicket where the fielder caught it easily.
Dhoni’s batting was the best part of the game, although Ramesh Powar also did well with 54 runs from 83 balls. India scored a total of 223 runs. England chased this score in 42.4 overs, winning with five wickets still in hand.
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4. (88* off 95) vs Sri Lanka in Brisbane, February 2008
In February 2008, Dhoni played a great innings of 88 not out against Sri Lanka. India batted first after winning the toss and made 267-4 in 50 overs.
India had a good start with Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar scoring 68 runs together. But they lost wickets and were at 83-4. Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir (who scored 102 not out) helped India recover.
Dhoni and Gambhir added 184 runs together for the fifth wicket without losing any more wickets. Dhoni hit five fours and a six during his innings. However, rain stopped Sri Lanka from batting, so the match ended without a result. Fans may not remember this match well because of that.
3. (79 off 88) vs Australia in Chennai, September 2017
After stepping down as captain, Dhoni played an important role as a senior player at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai during the first ODI against Australia in September 2017. India batted first but faced difficulties, losing half their team with only 87 runs on the board in 22 overs. Dhoni then partnered with Hardik Pandya, who scored 83 runs from 66 balls. Together, they added 118 runs for the sixth wicket. Dhoni hit four fours and two sixes before being caught at long-off by James Faulkner.
India finished their innings with a score of 281-7 in 50 overs. Australia struggled in their reply, reaching 137-9 after 21 overs, with Yuzvendra Chahal taking 3-30. India won the match by 26 runs according to the DLS method.
2. (84* off 89) vs New Zealand in Napier, March 2009
One of the best things about Dhoni’s batting in one-day matches was how well he could adapt to different situations. In a match against New Zealand in Napier in March 2009, the game was shortened to 38 overs. Dhoni came in to bat at No. 3 after India lost Tendulkar, who scored 20 runs.
Dhoni, scoring 84 not out from 89 balls, and Sehwag, with 77 off 56 balls, built a 52-run partnership for the second wicket. Dhoni played steadily, hitting six boundaries without using too many deliveries.
Later on, Dhoni teamed up with Suresh Raina (66 off 39 balls) to add 110 runs for the fifth wicket. India finished with a strong total of 273-4 in their 38 overs. New Zealand’s revised target was 216 runs in 28 overs, but they only managed to score 162-9, giving India a memorable victory.
1. (139* off 97) for Asia XI vs Africa XI in Chennai, June 2007
New cricket fans might not know about a tournament called the Afro-Asia Cup in 2007. It featured teams named Asia XI and Africa XI. Asia XI won all three matches played.
In the final match in Chennai, Dhoni scored a remarkable 139 not out from 97 balls. Asia XI, led by Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene, batted first after winning the toss and scored 331 runs for 8 wickets in 50 overs. Jayawardene also played well, scoring 107 runs from 106 balls.
Asia XI had a tough start, losing half their team with only 72 runs on the board. However, Dhoni and Jayawardene changed the game, adding 218 runs for the sixth wicket. Dhoni hit 15 fours and five sixes during his innings that lasted 144 minutes. Africa XI fought hard but managed 318 runs for 7 wickets. Dhoni was named Player of the Match for his unbeaten century and three stumpings.
| Rank | Runs | Balls | Opponent | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 96 | 106 | England | Jamshedpur | April 2006 |
| 4 | 88* | 95 | Sri Lanka | Brisbane | February 2008 |
| 3 | 79 | 88 | Australia | Chennai | September 2017 |
| 2 | 84* | 89 | New Zealand | Napier | March 2009 |
| 1 | 139* | 97 | Africa XI | Chennai | June 2007 |
