Dhoni the wicketkeeper betters Dhoni the bat

[ludhianvi]

MSD completes rare double Canberra, February 12 India's one-day team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni played his 100th match Tuesday and celebrated the occasion by becoming the first Indian wicketkeeper to complete 3,000 runs. Dhoni, 26, has already effected 100 dismissals, which makes him the first Indian wicketkeeper to accomplish a double of 3,000 runs and 100 dismissals. However, Dhoni ended up on the losing side as Sri Lanka defeated India by eight wickets in the Commonwealth Bank Triangular Series. After 90 innings, Dhoni's aggregate is 3,011 runs at an average of 44.94. Only three Indian batsmen have made more runs than Dhoni after 90 innings - Navjot Singh Sidhu (3,469 runs, average 42.30), Sourav Ganguly (3,424, average 41.76) and Rahul Dravid (3,056, average 36.82). Dhoni is averaging 86.50 in the competition after scoring 173 in four innings at a strike rate of 73.30. But in-form Gautam Gambhir is the current leading run-getter in the series with 197 in four innings at 65.66 with a strike rate of 86.40. Rohit Sharma posted his career-best score, a superb 70 not out off 64 balls which was his second half-century. He obliterated his previous highest of 52 against Pakistan in Jaipur November 18 last year. With this innings, Sharma equalled the highest individual score recorded at this venue. South Africa's Kepler Wessels had made 70 off 137 balls against Zimbabwe in 1992. Sachin Tendulkar, during the course of his 32-run knock, became the first batsman to amass 2,500 runs against Sri Lanka. He now has 2,503 at 45.50 in 67 games. Having already aggregated 2,500 runs against Australia, Tendulkar is now the only batsman to accomplish the feat of completing 2,500 runs against two opponents. Pacer Sreesanth bowled at an economy rate of 16.00 - the worst ever performance by any bowler in a three-over spell in ODIs. His own previous worst economy rate in an innings was 9.30 when he conceded 3.2-0-31-0 against South Africa at Centurion Park in 2006. — IANS

[Sachinism]

lol @ sreesanth whoa dhoni has a better average than all indians after 90 innings

[IndianRenegade]

Congrats for Dhoni.... Poor sree...

[mhr123]

Dhoni the wicketkeeper betters Dhoni the bat Mumbai: Sunil Gavaskar recently made an interesting point: if a wicketkeeper does not spin headlines in Australia he is doing a commendable job. Ask Parthiv Patel how unforgiving sports correspondents never let him forget India's 2003 tour Down Under when both luck and catches eluded his gloves. It's a tribute to Mahendra Singh Dhoni that four years later the mood in India is that of hope. Of a possible spring in the country's limited overs fortunes. In the second India-Sri Lanka game of the Commonwealth Bank Triangular Series, India's dandy one-day skipper achieved a rare triple: 3,000 runs and 100 dismissals in as many matches. Place that in the context of India's second best keeper in terms of ODI record: Nayan Mongia, 1272 runs in 140 games at 20.19. Recall how the country's captains in the past despaired at the dry wells, for want of a keeper-bat who could lend balance to their one-day configuration. MSK Prasad, Sameer Dighe, Vijay Dahiya, Ajay Ratra and Saba Karim dropped hints of promise but none glided long enough to make their skippers twinkle. Sourav Ganguly attracted scowls when the ever-complying Rahul Dravid was asked to impersonate the role in a desperate bid to squeeze in another bat. Only Dinesh Karthik looked like answering the missing puzzle but it was after the coming of ‘MS' that India started to jazz a bit in limited overs cricket. It's been a hard run for Dhoni in the Tests, although in the CB series he is finding his bearings with the bat. The one-time unschooled powerhouse seems to have matured well beyond his years. The tough calls he has had to take in recent times might have steeled him for the better. A leader's destiny is inextricably tied with the choices he makes. "Impudence has got to him" – it was held after Dravid and Ganguly were made to step off the one-day treadmill. His deputy's form and relapsing injuries haven't made it easier for him either. Thus far he has shown poise and a noticeable indifference to the clamour. For a 26-year old he dares the toughest course: backs his gut-feel and throws the uninitiated to the deep end. Thus Yusuf Pathan was cast straight into the Twenty20 finals, and Manoj Tiwary found himself amid the blazes at Brisbane. As skipper he chose to ignite the wood; he may not turn away from it. Purists frowned when Irfan Pathan was promoted in the CB series against Australia at Melbourne. The move may have its demerits but it stems from a mind that is not burdened by mind-set. If as a captain he backs his instincts, as a player he is prepared to be prudent to it. In the Melbourne game he stayed put for a 54-ball 17. Didn't look pretty; it wasn't meant to be. In between he was allaying his own nerves even as he was steadying his partner's (Rohit Sharma). It's not incidental that he closes more than a few games from 50:50 situations. In 2005 when Dhoni sizzled the scene he looked far from natural with the gloves. This season he has been nearly spotless behind the sticks. Particularly striking is his quicksilver stumpings that creates wicket-taking opportunities from nowhere. Truly these are heady days for him. There will be the odd blip along the way, betrayal of form and lapse of reason. Make no mistake though, this is one career that world cricket would keenly watch. http://www.cricketnext.com/news/dhoni-the-wicketkeeper-betters-dhoni-the-bat/29630-13.html

[maaki]

Dhonis keeping is becoming world class... Rarely seen him miss even difficult catches.. Stumpings are amazing.. Lets hope his batting improves and becomes world class

[fineleg]

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[Anakin]

His keeping was superb in the test series, I just expected better batting from him in that series.

[Sachinism]

yeh his keeping has impoved loads, but his batting needs to be more consistant

[flamy]

His keeping has definitely skyrocketed. I was as agape as ponting when that out-of-the-world stumping happened in the ODI series in India. He whips the bails off so quickly. And his catching has been brilliant too except for just one odd blip that I remember from last odi against aus. Excellent keeper!

[Guest dada_rocks]

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[maaki]

Well it is not just the stumpings that have been given.. the 2 attempted stumpings that were not given in the test matches were also amazing..

[chamatkar]

I liked the Haddin dismissal in the Aus ODI.. thought that was quick work and a classic spinners dismissal.

[Holysmoke]

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Heart waala baloon.:hysterical:

[Crookbond]

127 stumpings in International cricket, joint-best with Sangakkara