BEST PERFORMANCES

MS Dhoni, Virender Sehwag and Haroon Lorgat pose with the ICC Test Championship mace pose with the ICC Test Championship mace, New Delhi, December 27, 2009

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 Pak 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.

Dhoni with the ICC world Championship Trophy(2007)