MS Dhoni full batting, wicketkeeping stats, batting average and records

MS Dhoni full batting, wicketkeeping stats, batting average and records: Reports are rife of MS Dhoni's possible retirement, especially after India's semi-final exit from World Cup 2019. The ICC World Cup 2019 was MS Dhoni's fourth World Cup and since the start of the tournament, rumours of MSD retiring have been doing rounds. Dhoni himself has given no such indication. In fact, when he was asked about it, Dhoni said, “I don't know when I will retire.”

Can India afford to lose a player like Dhoni at this stage? This is a question that raises multiple other issues like the problem of quality middle order in the Indian team. The former Indian skipper, MS Dhoni has been an integral part of the Indian cricket team, adding value in every single aspect of the team, both on and off the field. India's semi-final against New Zealand was MS Dhoni's 350th ODI for India. With the milestone, Dhoni has entered the elite list of batsmen who have played more have 350 ODIs. Topping the list is India's Sachin Tendulkar, who has played 463 ODIs and he is followed by Sri Lanka's Mahela Jayawardene, Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara who have played 448, 445 and 404 ODIs respectively. Other legendary batsmen to precede MS Dhoni include Pakistan's Shahid Afridi, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Wasim Akram and Australia's Ricky Ponting. 

MS Dhoni batting average in World Cup 2019: MS Dhoni has come under a lot of criticism for his batting approach in the ongoing cricket world cup, especially during India’s match against England, when India needed 112 runs off 65 balls and Dhoni had walked in to bat. Most of the top order was already out including Hardik Pandya, who is known for his great strike rate. India had five wickets in hand then, despite this, Dhoni and Kedar Jadhav kept taking singles while the asking rate multiplied, so much that, India needed 44 runs to win from the last over. MS Dhoni was not out for 42 runs off 31 balls. Though it wasn’t a completely disappointing performance, it raised a question on Dhoni’s ability to make big hits, which he was popularly known for earlier. It wasn’t expected from Dhoni to not even try to chase the required total.

Overall, in the world cup group stage, MS Dhoni scored 34 runs off 46 balls, 27 off 14, 1 off 2, 28 runs off 52 balls, 56 runs off 61 balls, 42 runs off 31 balls and finally 35 runs off 33 balls. However, in the semi-final against New Zealand, MS Dhoni kept his calm composure and took India from 71/5 to 216 runs, very close to the chase target. Though Dhoni's unfortunate runout in the second last over was the biggest turning point of the match, if Dhoni had gotten out early, India would have been facing a much bigger defeat.

Dhoni's runout during India vs New Zealand World Cup semi-final:

Hence, while MS Dhoni’s inability to convert ones and twos into boundaries is questionable, his reliability is an aspect that cannot be questioned. Though Dhoni’s average run rate was slow, he was seen to be mostly dependable through the tournament. He held on to his end of the wicket, trying to build a stable partnership for India and this was clearly visible in India’s match against England, Afghanistan and the semi-final against New Zealand. In all the three cases, Dhoni had come in at a time when India needed him to stay at the crease and he delivered by staying not out on two occasions and staying almost till the end in the third. 

Another key factor is MS Dhoni as a wicket-keeper. MS Dhoni is one of the world’s best wicket-takers. His ability behind the stumps is uncanny as he is known for his lightning quick reflexes and rarely does he miss a stumping chance or a catch. In fact, first four wickets that fell during India’s match against Sri Lanka were either caught behind or stumped by Dhoni. MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja also set a new record for India by entering the records list of most successful bowler-wicketkeeper pair in ODIs. The combination of Dhoni and Jadeja have together dismissed 29 batsmen in ODI cricket, overtaking the pair of Nayan Mongia and Venkatesh Prasad who have effected 28 dismissals. 

So looking at the overall statistics, it is unfair to ask a player of Dhoni’s calibre to retire just because of few failed performances. MS Dhoni has all the right to take the decision to retire when he feels is right. It was under MS Dhoni’s captaincy that India became the top test side, won the 2007 T20 World and finally the historic ODI Cricket World Cup in 2011. Current India captain, Virat Kohli has always had praise for the former skipper and he has often been seen asking for Dhoni's inputs in key decisions.

MS Dhoni had announced his retirement from Test cricket on December 30, 2014. 

MS Dhoni full batting record, wicket-keeping stats and batting average:

Format

No. of Matches

Innings

NO

Runs/ HS

Average

100/50

4s/6s

St

Tests

90

144

16

4876/224

38.09

6/33

544/78

38

ODIs

349

296

84

10723/183*

50.58

10/72

825/228

123

T20Is

98

85

42

1617/56

37.60

0/2

116/52

34

T20s

317

283

117

6621/84*

39.88

0/27

451/295

83

First-class

131

210

19

7038/224

36.84

9/47

 

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MS Dhoni Batting, wicketkeeping records: Full list of records

MS Dhoni holds the record of most wins by an Indian captain in Tests, ODIs and T20Is and also that of most back-to-back wins by an Indian captain in ODIs. Dhoni was the first captain of the Indian cricket team, under whom Team India won all three ICC-limited overs trophies including 2007 T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy and ICC World Cup 2011. Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India also became number one test side. Dhoni is also the only wicket-keeper to effect 150 stumping dismissals in Test, ODI and T20I combined.

MS Dhoni Test Records: Batting and Wicket-keeping Records

MS Dhoni is one of the most successful Indian Test captains with 27 test victories. In 2013, India became the first team in 40 years to beat Australia in a test Series.

Dhoni completed 4000 test runs, first for an Indian wicket-keeper.

Dhoni with his 224 runs against Australia, created the record of highest test score by an Indian wicket-keeper, overtaking  Budhi Kunderan's 192. It was also the highest score by a wicket-keeper captain.

Dhoni also holds the record of fastest century scored by an Indian wicket-keeper with his 148 runs against Pakistan.

Dhoni is the first Indian wicket-keeper to complete 4,000 Test runs.[135]

Dhoni with 294 dismissals also holds the record of highest number of dismissals among Indian wicket-keepers.

Dhoni with 139 stumpings also holds the record of maximum stumpings by any wicket-keeper in test cricket.

MS Dhoni ODI Records: Batting and Wicket-keeping Records

MS Dhoni is the fourth Indian player to score 10,000 ODI runs, after Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly  and Rahul Dravid and the second wicket-keeper to reach the milestone. Dhoni was the first cricketer to achieve the feat with a career average of over 50.

Dhoni holds the record of most runs in ODI history while batting at number 6 position.

Dhoni is the first Indian cricketer and fifth globally to have hit 200 ODI sixes.

Dhoni also holds the record of highest score by a wicket-keeper, 183 not out against Sri Lanka in 2005.

Dhoni also holds the record of playing most number of ODI matches as a wicket-keeper captain.

Dhoni also holds the record of most dismissals by an Indian wicket-keeper in an innings (6) and overall career (432).

Dhoni with 120 stumpings also holds the record of maximum stumpings by a wicket-keeper in ODIs and is the only wicket-keeper to have crossed 100 stumpings.

He is also the first Indian wicket-keeper to take 300 catches in ODIs

MS Dhoni T20I Records: Batting and Wicket-keeping Records

MS Dhoni holds the record of most wins as a captain in T20Is(41), most matches as a captain (72) and most matches as a wicket-keeper captain (72). Dhoni also holds the record of most consecutive T20i innings without a getting out for a duck.  

MS Dhoni also holds the record of most T20I dismissals (87), most T20I stumpings (33), most catches (54) as a wicket-keeper.

International records (combined ODI, Test and T20I).