INTERNATIONAL CAREER
Start of ODI career
The Indian ODI team in the early 2000s saw Rahul Dravid as the wicket-keeper to ensure that the wicket-keeper spot didn't lack in batting talent.[62] The team also saw the entry of wicket-keeper/batsmen from the junior ranks, with talents like Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik (both India U-19 captains) named in the Test squads.[62] With Dhoni making a mark in the India A squad, he was picked in the ODI squad for the Bangladesh tour in 2004/05.[63] Dhoni did not have a great start to his ODI career, getting run out for a duck on debut.[64] In spite of an average series against Bangladesh, Dhoni was picked for the Pakistan ODI series.[65]
Breakthrough
In the second match of the series, Dhoni, in his fifth one-day international, scored 148 in Visakhapatnam off only 123 deliveries. Dhoni's 148 surpassed the earlier record for the highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper,[66] a record that he would re-write before the end of the year.
Dhoni had few batting opportunities in the first two games of the Sri Lankan bilateral ODI series (October–November 2005) and was promoted to No. 3 in the third ODI at Sawai Mansingh Stadium (Jaipur). Sri Lanka had set India a target of 299 after a Kumar Sangakkara century and, in reply, India lost Tendulkar early. Dhoni was promoted to accelerate the scoring and ended the game with an unbeaten 183 off 145 balls, winning the game for India.[67] The innings was described in Wisden Almanack (2006) as 'Uninhibited, yet anything but crude'.[68] The innings set various records including the highest individual score in ODI cricket in the second innings,[69] a record only broken after seven years by Shane Watson.[70] Dhoni ended the series with the highest run aggregate (346)[71] and was awarded the Man of the Series award for his efforts. In December 2005, Dhoni was rewarded a B-grade contract by the BCCI.[72]
India scored 328 in 50 overs with Dhoni contributing 68 in their first match of 2006 against Pakistan. However, the team finished poorly scoring just 43 runs in the last eight overs and lost the match due to Duckworth-Lewis method.[73] In the third match of the series, Dhoni came in with India in a precarious situation and scored 72 runs off just 46 balls that included 13 boundaries to help India take a 2–1 lead in the series.[74][75] The final match of the series had a repeat performance as Dhoni scored 77 runs off 56 balls to enable India win the series 4–1.[76] Due to his consistent ODI performances, Dhoni overtook Ricky Ponting as number one in the ICC ODI Rankings for batsmen on 20 April 2006 becoming the fastest batsman to do so, in 42 innings.[77] His reign lasted just a week as Adam Gilchrist's performance against Bangladesh moved him to the top spot.[78]
Two cancelled series in Sri Lanka, one due to the withdrawal of South Africa from the Unitech Cup due to security concerns[79] and the replacement three-match ODI bilateral series against Sri Lanka washed due to rain,[80] was India's prelude to another disappointing tournament – DLF Cup 2006-07. Dhoni scored 43 runs as the team lost twice in three games and did not qualify for the finals. India's lack of preparation showed in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy as they lost to West Indies and Australia, though Dhoni scored a half-century against West Indies. The story of the ODI series in South Africa was the same for both Dhoni and India as Dhoni scored 139 runs in 4 matches and India lost the series 4–0. From the start of the West Indies ODI series, Dhoni had played 16 matches, hit just two fifties and averaged 25.93. Dhoni received criticism on his wicket-keeping technique from former wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani.[81] Yet, for his performances in 2006, he was named in the World ODI XI by the ICC.[82]
2007 World Cup
Preparations for the 2007 Cricket World Cup improved as India recorded identical 3–1 victories over West Indies and Sri Lanka and Dhoni had averages in excess of 100 in both these series.[83]
India unexpectedly crashed out of the World Cup after losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the group stage. Dhoni was out for a duck in both these matches and scored just 29 runs in the tournament. After the loss to Bangladesh in 2007 Cricket World Cup, the house that Dhoni was constructing in his home-town Ranchi was vandalised and damaged by political activists of JMM.[84] The local police arranged for security for his family as India exited the World Cup in the first round.[85]
Dhoni put his disappointing performances in the World Cup behind him by scoring 91* against Bangladesh, after India were left in a tight spot earlier in the run-chase. Dhoni was declared the Man of the Match for his performance, his fourth in ODI cricket. He was also later adjudged the Man of the Series after the third game of the series was washed away. Dhoni had a good Afro-Asia Cup, scoring 174 runs in 3 matches at an average of 87.00, with a blitzkrieg 139 not out off 97 balls, a Man of the Match innings, in the third ODI.
Dhoni was named vice-captain of the ODI team for the series against South Africa in Ireland and the subsequent India-England seven-match ODI series.[86] Dhoni, who received a 'B' grade contract in December 2005, was awarded an 'A' grade contract in June 2007. He was also elected as the captain of the Indian squad for the World Twenty20 in September 2007. On 2 September 2007, Dhoni equalled his idol Adam Gilchrist's international record for the most dismissals in an innings in ODI by catching five English players and stumping one.[87]
Rise through ranks
During the series between India and Australia in 2009, Dhoni hit an aggressive 124 runs in just 107 balls, in the second ODI, and a measured knock of 71 runs in 95 balls, along with Yuvraj Singh and saw India home by 6 wickets in the third ODI. Dhoni took his first and only wicket in international cricket on 30 September 2009. He bowled Travis Dowlin of the West Indies during a match in the 2009 ICC Champions Trophy.[88]
Dhoni topped the ICC ODI Batsman rankings for several months in 2009. Michael Hussey from Australia replaced him at the top spot at the beginning of 2010.[89]
Dhoni had an excellent year in ODIs in 2009, scoring 1198 runs in just 24 innings, at an astonishing average of 70.43. Dhoni was also the joint top-scorer in ODIs in 2009 along with Ricky Ponting, but the latter having played 30 innings. For his performances in 2009, he was named as captain and wicketkeeper of the World ODI XI by the ICC.[90]
The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 kicked off in the subcontinent and Dhoni-led India was seen as "favorites". Although Dhoni didn't have a good show with the bat averaging just 30.0 in seven innings and managing 150 runs, India reached the finals with victories over Australia and Pakistan in quarter-finals and semi-finals, respectively. Chasing a target of 275 in the final against Sri Lanka, Dhoni rescued his team alongside Gautam Gambhir, and later Yuvraj Singh to help India lift their second World Cup title since 1983. He scored 91 not out, finishing the game with a historical six and claiming the Man of the Match award.
Post 2011 World Cup
In 2012, Pakistan toured India for a bilateral series for the first time in five years. In the three-match ODI series, Dhoni top-scored for India in all three innings; however, India lost the series 1–2. In the first ODI at Chennai, he helped India recover from 29/5 to help post a total of 227 in 50 overs. Playing a knock of 113 not out, he had a record partnership with Ravichandran Ashwin, although in a losing cause.[91]
Winning the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy, Dhoni became the first and the only captain in international cricket to claim all ICC trophies. In the rain-shortened final against England, he was out for a duck and thus ending up the tournament with 27 runs from two innings. However, his field placements and tactics came handy, the team was successful beating the opposition by five runs (D/L method).[92] He was also named as captain and wicketkeeper of the 'Team of the Tournament' by the ICC.[93]
Just after the Champions Trophy, India toured West Indies for a tri-nation tournament against West Indies and Sri Lanka.[94] Dhoni got injured in the start of the tournament itself and got ruled out for the whole tournament. However, despite of not having fully recovered, he returned to play the final against Sri Lanka, once again only to find himself become a hero after single-handedly taking India to a victory by just one wicket. Dhoni scored an unbeaten 45 off 52 balls with scoring 16 runs in the final over required for the victory. He was adjudged Man of the match for this performance.[95]
In November 2013, Dhoni became the second India batsman after Sachin Tendulkar to aggregate 1,000 or more ODI-runs against Australia.[96]
India toured South Africa and New Zealand in the 2013–14 season and ending up losing both series, 0–2 and 0–4, respectively. Against South Africa, Dhoni managed 84 runs at an average of 48.0, including one half-century. Against New Zealand, he managed 272 runs which included three consecutive 50-plus scores. In the third match of the series, his knock of 50 helped India tie the match and eventually avoiding a series whitewash. Meanwhile, he scored his 8000th run in ODI cricket on the tour.[97]
India won the away ODI series in England in 2014 by 3–1 and series against West Indies in India by 2–1 margin. Dhoni had a good performance with the bat scoring a half-century in each of the series.[citation needed]
2015 World Cup
India's preparation, going into the tournament, looked poor as India failed badly in the Carlton Mid Triangular Series in Australia, failing to win a single match. Dhoni himself managed just 70 runs from three innings averaging 23.34.[98][99]
During the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Dhoni became the first Indian captain to win all group stage matches in such a tournament. India achieved wins against arch-rivals Pakistan, South Africa (whom they hadn't beaten before in a World Cup game), the UAE, West Indies, Ireland and Zimbabwe. In the match against Zimbabwe at Eden Park, he made 85 not out chasing 288 and had an unbeaten partnership of 196 with Suresh Raina. This is the highest score by an Indian captain on New Zealand soil. Beating Bangladesh in the quarter finals, he became the third overall and the first non-Australian captain to win 100 ODI matches. In an unsuccessful effort against eventual champions Australia in the semi-finals, he made 65 as India were unable to defend their title.[100][101][102]
Stepping down as captain and thereafter
Dhoni stepped down as captain of India in the limited over formats in January 2017, just ahead of the ODI series at home against England.[103] In the second game of the series, he scored 134 off 122 balls, that included a 256-run partnership for the fourth wicket along with Yuvraj Singh. The century, his tenth in ODIs, was his first in over three years.[104] He was named as a wicketkeeper of the 'Team of the Tournament' at the 2017 Champions Trophy by Cricbuzz.[105] He was also named in the ODI XI of the year by Cricbuzz.[106]
In August that year, during the fifth and final ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo, he became the first wicket-keeper to effect 100 stumpings surpassing Kumar Sangakkara, when he stumped Akila Dananjaya off Yuzvendra Chahal.[107] He reached the milestone of effecting 400 dismissals in ODIs in February 2018, following the stumping of Aiden Markram in the third ODI of the South Africa tour.[108]
Dhoni went past 10,000 ODI runs in the second ODI against England during his team's 2018 tour, and became the fourth Indian and twelfth overall to do so.[109] He had a relatively mediocre series, having scored 79 runs in two innings at a lowly strike rate of 63.20.[110][111] This was followed by two poor outings for him in the ODI format; the Asia Cup that he finished with 77 runs in four innings at an average of 19.25[112] and the home series against West Indies where he aggregated 50 runs from three innings.[113] Dhoni was consequently dropped from the T20I squads for the series that followed and the Australia tour later that season.[114] However, he was included in the squad named for the ODI series there.[115] In the three-match series, Dhoni found form and scored half-centuries in all three games with the latter two resulting in wins, helping India secure a 2–1 series victory, their first in a bilateral series on Australian soil. Dhoni finished with 193 runs and was named player of the series. He also became the fourth Indian to score more than 1,000 ODI runs there.[116]
In April 2019, he was named in India's squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.[117][118] In July 2019, in India's semi-final match against New Zealand, Dhoni played in his 350th ODI.[119]
He announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on 15 August 2020.