5 tragic run-outs involving MS Dhoni

Former Indian captain MS Dhoni turns 39 on the 7th of July but despite his advancing age, he is still a livewire both between and behind the wickets. He is an excellent judge of a run and is one of the fastest ever between the 22 yards.

However, despite his incredible running between the sticks, we have seen him get run-out on the biggest stages in what can only be described as the most cruel of ironies. Much like AB de Villiers and Suresh Raina, who are themselves rapid between the wickets, MS Dhoni has managed to fall short of his ground in important games in World Cup and the Indian Premier League (IPL).

In this article, we take a look at the five most tragic run-outs involving MS Dhoni.

#5 MS Dhoni's ODI debut

A dejected MS Dhoni walks back to the pavilion after getting run-out for 0 on his ODI debut

On his ODI debut against Bangladesh in 2004, MS Dhoni found himself victim to one of cricket's most painful dismissals - run-out for 0. After nurdling a harmless floater from Mohammad Rafique to square leg, the wicket-keeper set off for a non-existent single, only to be sent back by his partner Mohammad Kaif.

Uncharacteristically, the young batsman lost his levelheadedness, and headed back to the pavilion disconsolate. Ironically, Ravi Shastri, who would be commentate during MS Dhoni's greatest cricketing moment 7 years later, was on air. Thankfully for the 23-year-old, he got a few more opportunities with the national team and soon became a regular fixture in the playing XI.

India went on to win the game by a narrow margin of 11 runs - the only win on this list of tragic MS Dhoni run-outs.

#4 MS Dhoni run-out on 99 against England

England skipper Alastair Cook runs out his Indian counterpart MS Dhoni

In the 4th Test of England's tour of India in 2012 at Nagpur, MS Dhoni succumbed to another wretched dismissal - run-out on 99. The Indian skipper had painstakingly amassed these 99 runs off 246 balls in what were difficult conditions to bat in.

After pushing the ball towards mid-off, he set off for a quick single, only to see his England counterpart Alastair Cook's accurate throw catch him short of his ground by inches. MS Dhoni became the first Indian captain to be run-out on 99 in Tests, and although the match in question ended in a tame draw, England won their first Test series in India in 28 years.

Cook was even named the Man of the Series, although his exploits in the field had little to do with it.

#3 Captain MS Dhoni falls short of his ground in the 2015 World Cup semi-final

India came into the 2015 World Cup as the defending champions and hot favourites, and sailed into the semi-finals where they faced hosts Australia. After the Kangaroos put on an imposing 328, India got off to a good start before Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli both lost their wickets in the space of a few overs.

Although Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma steadied the Indian ship temporarily, wickets falling at regular intervals put the onus on Indian captain MS Dhoni to bail his side out of trouble as he has done so often. However, it wasn't to be, as a run-a-ball 65 was cut short by a rocket throw from the electric Glenn Maxwell.

India fell to a 95-run defeat, with the last nail in the coffin being the then-33-year-old's incredibly sad run-out.

#2 MS Dhoni's controversial run-out in the 2019 IPL final

MS Dhoni stretches in vain in the final of the 2019 IPL

Just like India in the 2015 World Cup, CSK came into the 2019 IPL as both the defending champions and the favourites. They were led as astutely as ever by MS Dhoni in their run to the final, where they met the in-form Mumbai Indians (MI).

In the chase of 150, the CSK innings saw not one but two batsmen run-out. 2018 IPL final hero Shane Watson succumbed to a rocket throw from Krunal Pandya, before captain MS Dhoni was ruled to be inches short of his ground after significant deliberation on the part of the third umpire.

In a cheeky attempt to sneak in an extra run on an overthrow, MS Dhoni lost his wicket to yet another crucial run-out as Ishan Kishan's throw found its way to the timber. Sadly, Shardul Thakur missed the last ball delivered by Lasith Malinga, handing MI a 1-run win and their fourth IPL title.

#1 MS Dhoni's last appearance for India?

MS Dhoni was India's last hope in the 2019 World Cup semi-final

In the 2019 World Cup final against eventual runners-up New Zealand, India found themselves in tatters chasing 240, before Ravindra Jadeja resuscitated the innings with a stroke-filled 77.

After he fell to Trent Boult, however, the hopes of the nation yet again rested on MS Dhoni's shoulders. But just like the 2015 semi-final, fate had a cruel twist in store. After tucking a ball aimed at the ribs towards the leg-side, the keeper set off for two in an attempt to retain the strike, but Martin Guptill's moment of magic found the former Indian skipper short of his ground to dash any hopes of an Indian win.

The Men in Blue bowed out of the tournament, and this game remains the last time we saw MS Dhoni in action. With his international future still up in the air due to him taking an indefinite break, we might have seen a fateful run-out draw the curtains on one of the greatest cricketing careers of all time.

Pitilessly, one could claim that MS Dhoni's career has come full circle.