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Both Dhoni and Raina began their ODI careers with first-ball ducks. Dhoni was run out by Baisya & Mashud vs Bangladesh, Raina was bowled by future CSK teammate Muralitharan. Goes to show that early failures don't count for much in the long run.
#ThankYouDhoni #ThankYouRaina
#ThankYouDhoni #ThankYouRaina
Another fun little tidbit: In Raina's debut ODI match, Dhoni opened for India - one of only 2 occasions in which he did this.
Dhoni has scored at least 1 ODI hundred from every position between No. 3 to No. 7 (he also scored 96 as an opener - but not in Raina's debut match). Nobody else has done this.
Dhoni is one of only 3 men with 7 ODI centuries from No. 5 or lower. The other two men are Yuvraj Singh and Jos Buttler. Buttler could go on to break this record though.
Not all of Dhoni's ODI centuries came for India. He also scored a terrific 97-ball 139* (15x4, 5x6) for Asia XI vs Africa XI 2007. Batting first, Asia were 72/5 before Dhoni and skipper Jayawardene added 218 for the sixth wicket. Asia won the match by 13 runs.
As @joybhattacharj says on his episode of #22Yarns, Sourav Ganguly was very excited when he first saw Dhoni bat. He told Joy da about this 'Chabuk' (whip) batsman. How right Dada was!
Dhoni played 535 international matches for India. Only Sachin Tendulkar (664) has played more for India.
In Test cricket, Dhoni the wicketkeeper has the:
1. Third-most stumpings.
2. Third-most runs.
3. Fifth-most overall dismissals.
4. Seventh-most catches.
5. Third-highest score.
But Dhoni also captained in 60 Tests. No other 'keeper has done it more than 28 times.
1. Third-most stumpings.
2. Third-most runs.
3. Fifth-most overall dismissals.
4. Seventh-most catches.
5. Third-highest score.
But Dhoni also captained in 60 Tests. No other 'keeper has done it more than 28 times.
How hard is it to keep wickets in Tests? Here are a few samples of players as wicketkeepers vs while not keeping:
Jos Buttler - 29.28 vs 35.68
Brendon McCullum - 34.18 vs 42.94
Alec Stweart - 34.92 vs 46.70
Clyde Walcott - 40.36 vs 64.66
Kumar Sangakkara - 40.48 vs 66.78
Jos Buttler - 29.28 vs 35.68
Brendon McCullum - 34.18 vs 42.94
Alec Stweart - 34.92 vs 46.70
Clyde Walcott - 40.36 vs 64.66
Kumar Sangakkara - 40.48 vs 66.78
Now here's one of my favourite WTF stats that blows people's minds: No Indian has a higher average than Dhoni while batting in the top 6 in Tests. Not Tendulkar, not Dravid, not Gavaskar, not Kohli.
@ovshake42 and I couldn't believe it when we first realised it, but it's true.
@ovshake42 and I couldn't believe it when we first realised it, but it's true.
*With a 1,000-run cut-off. Currently Karun Nair, Mayank Agarwal and Pritvhi Shaw are all ahead, but low sample sizes and all that.
Dhoni's first ODI century: 148(123) vs Pakistan.
Dhoni's first Test century: 148(153) vs Pakistan.
Dhoni's first Test century: 148(153) vs Pakistan.
Among Indian WK-batsmen, there's nobody even remotely close to Dhoni in any format. But this is especially true in ODIs, where the gulf between him and the rest is so astronomical that Dhoni alone has more runs, 100s, and 50s than *every other Indian wicketkeeper put together*.
