MS Dhoni, who was an integral part of the Indian cricket team for more than a decade and a half, celebrated his 43rd birthday on Sunday, July 7. After retiring from international cricket in 2020, MS Dhoni is still playing cricket at a professional level, in the IPL with the Chennai Super Kings.
During the majority of his cricket career, the 43-year-old captained India and CSK to great successes all over the world, while showcasing the best of his skills as a batter and a wicketkeeper. In this article, SportsTiger looks back at the seven best innings in the cricket career of MS Dhoni.
183* vs SL, 2005 ODI
In 2005, MS Dhoni made a big name for himself with his swashbuckling batting style, smashing bowling attacks to the cleaners in the ODI format. At the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur, he scored 183 unbeaten of 145 with 15 fours and 10 maximums, to help India chase down a 299-run target with ease against Sri Lanka.
224 vs AUS, 2013 Test
After Australia posted a formidable first innings score of 380 runs at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Test series, India had a tough task to overhaul the runs, let alone get a positive result. But MS Dhoni, the Indian captain, had other ideas as he smashed 224 off 265 with 24 fours and six maximums, playing a key role in a famous Test win by eight wickets.
84* vs RCB, 2019 IPL
During the 2019 edition of the IPL, MS Dhoni played one of the most memorable innings for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, smashing 84 not out off 48 with five fours and seven maximums. His innings came after CSK lost a few early wickets in pursuit of the 162-run target, but it wasn’t enough for the team as RCB registered a one-run win.
134 vs ENG, 2017 ODI
In 2017, MS Dhoni hit his final hundred in international cricket at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack during an ODI against England. In scoring 134 off 122 with 10 fours and six maximums, he stitched a 256-run stand for the fourth wicket with Yuvraj Singh, to help India post a massive score of 381 runs on the board, which they went on to defend successfully, winning by 15 runs.
76* vs ENG, 2007 Test
During India’s last Test series win in England in 2007, they were in dire straits in the first match at Lord’s in London, with the hosts needing one wicket to achieve a win. MS Dhoni managed to save the Test alongside RP Singh with 76 unbeaten off 159 when India were 282/9 at the close of play on Day 5 while chasing a 380-run target.
113* vs PAK, 2012 ODI
After India lost five wickets in quick succession against Pakistan in the first ODI of the series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, MS Dhoni managed to resurrect the team’s innings with a memorable hundred. He got 113 not out off 125, an innings which included seven fours and three maximums, which pushed the India total to 227/6, but they lost the match by six wickets in the second last over versus Pakistan.
91* vs SL, 2011 ODI WC Final
One of the greatest innings in MS Dhoni’s cricket career came in the final of the ODI World Cup 2011 against Sri Lanka, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The Indian captain went on to score 91 not out off 79 with eight fours and two maximums, to ensure the Indian cricket team chased down the 275-run target with six wickets in hand in the penultimate over.