“Cometh the hour, cometh the man.”
A humble English proverb that’s credited to few and deserved by even fewer. However, in the case of our very own captain cool this line holds true for most (if not all) of his innings. Guess that’s the reason why he looks akin to a mythical knight whenever he comes out to bat. Here are 8 times when MS Dhoni literally pulled off a miracle to save the day for team India:
1. 2013, Tri-Nation Series, Final: India v/s Sri Lanka
India’s middle order crumbled as they were chasing a modest target of 202. It took a cool-headed Dhoni to guide them through troubled waters. His 45 came off 52 balls and a big shot saw the team through with 2 balls and 1 wicket to spare.
2. 2011, ICC Cricket World Cup, Final: India v/s Sri Lanka
MS Dhoni was having a rather forgettable World Cup. With India reaching the final, the expectations to get the trophy home were mounting. Sri Lanka piled up a total of 274 runs, for the Indians to chase. A bold decision by Dhoni to come in at number 5 instead of the in-form Yuvraj Singh raised a few eyebrows. However, 79 balls later, all the doubts were laid to rest. His swashbuckling innings of 91* helped India win the coveted trophy after 28 years. And of course, who can forget that monstrous match-winning six over long on?
3. 2005, Videocon Triangular Series: India v/s Zimbabwe
This was an innings of a star in the making. With India needing a competitive target of 251 to win, Dhoni’s first ever fifty couldn’t have come at a better time. India were 91 for 5 and the talks of an upset were gaining speed. But M.S. Dhoni had other plans. With his 54 ball 50 he made sure that any doubts about a loss were put to rest.
4. 2012, Pakistan’s tour of India, 1st ODI: India v/s Pakistan
Team India was looking down and out at 29 for 5 in just the 10th over. In came Dhoni at number 6 and changed the course of the game! With his 113 ball 125, he made sure that India put up a respectable total on board.
5. 2009, India’s tour of West Indies, 2nd ODI: India v/s West Indies
India lost 3 wickets for only seven runs in the first two overs. What followed next was a memorable innings by captain M.S. Dhoni. Not only did he steady the ship with a knock of 95 runs, he also made a 101-run stand along with R.P. Singh (yes, him). Now how often do you such a gutsy partnership between a number 5 and number 9 batsman in ODIs?
6. 2007, ICC World T20: South Africa v/s India
Team India was playing their T20 World Cup group stage match against South Africa at Durban. The top order had crumbled again and it was looking like India would slip down a position in the points table. Not before captain cool came out at number 4 and steadied the ship. With his 33 ball 45 he guided India to a respectable total. His remarkable partnership of 85 runs with Rohit Sharma helped India record an impressive victory over the Proteas.
7. 2013, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, 1st Test: India v/s Australia
In the first ever test match of the Border-Gavaskar trophy, Australia made an impressive first innings score of 380 runs. The Indian batsmen played some sensible cricket but wickets started to fall once they reached 200. Captain M.S. Dhoni came in at number 6 and did what he does best – bludgeon the bowlers all around the park. His innings of 224 runs, which is also the highest one ever by an Indian captain, helped India reach a respectable total and eventually win the match.
8. 2005, Sri Lanka’s tour of India, 3rd ODI: India v/s Sri Lanka
This one’s from a pre-T20 era when chasing a target at 6 runs per over seemed like a herculean task. In the 3rd ODI of the series, the visitors had managed to put up a challenging total of 299 for the hosts. But to India’s horror, Tendulkar fell rather cheaply, and that too in the very first over.
In came a flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman who was already famous for his long locks and quick-fire knocks. However, that day, he had something else in mind altogether. Dhoni smashed the Sri Lankan bowlers all over the park. His mammoth innings of 183 off just 145 balls was studded with 15 fours and 11 sixes! Not only did India go on to win this match, it gave them a healthy lead of 3-0 in the 7 match ODI series.
Phew… No wonder MS Dhoni is rightfully called Mr. Reliable by everyone! Guess that’s why he’s chosen to endorse Lava Mobiles, a brand that’s as reliable as him. Check out the video to know more!
Check out two more fun videos of Dhoni testing a Lava phone in a sauna bath and then using the phone as a table tennis racquet.
Sponsored by: Lava Mobiles
