Who would have thought on December 23, 2004 that a player from Jharkhand who got out for a golden duck on his debut ODI match for India, would become one of the world’s most successful captain. This is how Dhoni’s journey started. As days passed by, the man was handed the reins of the team in the 2007 World T20 and he won it for India, and has since not looked back, and has smashed records all along the way. As he enters the 35th year of his life, we take a look at the impending records which might be broken by the limited overs skipper of India.
These are the 7 records which are on the radar of MS Dhoni.
#1 – Most international matches as a captain
MS Dhoni has played 324 international matches as a captain of India so far, which consists of 60 Tests, 194 ODIs and 70 T20Is. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting had also played 324 International matches as a captain of Australia/ICC World XI. Currently, both Ricky Ponting and MS Dhoni have played the most number of international matches as captains of their respective countries. MS Dhoni can break this record by captaining India in just one ODI or T20I match in the near future.
Most international matches played by captains:
Captain name | Country/Team | Matches |
Ricky Ponting | Australia/ICC World XI | 324 |
MS Dhoni | India | 324 |
Stephen Fleming | New Zealand | 303 |
Graeme Smith | South Africa/ICC World XI/Africa XI | 286 |
Allan Border | Australia | 271 |
Arjuna Ranatunga | Sri Lanka | 249 |
#2 – Most not-outs in International cricket as a player
MS Dhoni has remained not-out 115 times in International matches in 439 innings. Muttiah Muralitharan holds this record remaining unbeaten most times in international cricket, as he was unconquered on 119 occasions. Dhoni now needs only 5 more unbeaten innings to breach this record.
Most not out in international cricket:
Player name | Country/Team | Matches | No. of times remained not out |
Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka/Asia XI/ICC | 495 | 119 |
MS Dhoni | India/Asia XI | 439 | 115 |
Shaun Pollock | South Africa/ICC World XI/Africa XI | 423 | 113 |
Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka/Asia XI | 439 | 108 |
James Anderson | England | 329 | 104 |
Steve Waugh | Australia | 493 | 104 |
#3 – Most sixes in ODIs as a captain
MS Dhoni has hit 121 sixes in ODIs as a captain of India in 194 matches while Ricky Ponting had hit 123 sixes in ODIs from 230 matches as a captain of Australia/ICC World XI, the most by any captain in ODIs till date. MS Dhoni can break this record of hitting most sixes in ODIs as a captain if he will hit three more sixes whenever he plays for India in ODIs in future.
Captains with most sixes in ODIs:
Captain name | Country/Team | Matches | No. of sixes |
Ricky Ponting | Australia/ICC World XI | 230 | 123 |
MS Dhoni | India | 194 | 121 |
Sourav Ganguly | India/Asia XI | 147 | 115 |
AB de Villiers | South Africa | 87 | 111 |
Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | 62 | 82 |
#4 – Second most successful ODI captain
MS Dhoni has won 107 ODI matches as a captain of India in 194 matches while Allan Border had also won 107 ODI matches as Australia captain. Ricky Ponting had won 165 ODI matches as a captain of Australia/ICC World XI, the most by any captain in ODI cricket history. If MS Dhoni can win one more ODI match for India as a captain in future, he will surpass Allan Border as the second most successful skipper in ODI cricket.
Most successful ODI captains:
Captain name | Country/Team | No. of ODI wins as a captain |
Ricky Ponting | Australia/ICC World XI | 165 |
Allan Border | Australia | 107 |
MS Dhoni | India | 107 |
Hansie Cronje | South Africa | 99 |
Stephen Fleming | New Zealand | 98 |
#5 – Most fifties in ODIs as a Captain
MS Dhoni has scored 46 fifties in ODIs as a captain of India in 194 matches and he is second in the list of scoring most fifties as a captain in ODIs. Ricky Ponting tops the list with 51 fifties. Dhoni thus needs only 6 more fifties to break the record in future.
Captain with most ODI fifties:
Captain name | Country/Team | Matches | No. of fifties in ODIs |
Ricky Ponting | Australia/ICC World XI | 230 | 51 |
MS Dhoni | India | 194 | 46 |
Stephen Fleming | New Zealand | 218 | 38 |
Arjuna Ranatunga | Sri Lanka | 193 | 37 |
Graeme Smith | South Africa/Africa XI | 150 | 37 |
Mohammad Azharuddin | India | 174 | 37 |
#6 – Most innings batted in international cricket as a wicket-keeper
MS Dhoni has played 447 innings as a wicket-keeper of India/Asia XI in his international career so far, the joint second most any wicket-keeper. Mark Boucher had also played 447 innings in his international cricket while representing South Africa/Africa XI/ ICC World XI. Kumar Sangakkara is at the top of that list as he has played most innings in International cricket as a wicket-keeper. He had played 474 innings in international cricket as a wicket-keeper of Sri Lanka/Asia XI/ICC World XI.
Wicket-keepers with most international innings played:
Wicket-keeper name | Country/Team | No. of innings batted |
Kumar Sangakkara | Sri Lanka/Asia XI/ICC World XI | 474 |
Mark Boucher | South Africa/Africa XI/ICC World XI | 447 |
MS Dhoni | India/Asia XI | 447 |
Adam Gilchrist | Australia/ICC World XI | 424 |
Ian Healy | Australia | 302 |
#7 – Most Ducks as an Indian captain in international cricket
MS Dhoni has scored 11 ducks in international cricket as a captain of India and he is at the second place in that list of scoring most ducks as an Indian captain in international cricket. Sourav Ganguly had scored 13 ducks as an Indian captain in his international career and tops the list. If MS Dhoni gets three more ducks in International cricket, he will have this unwanted record to his name.
Indian captains with most ducks in international cricket:
Captain name | Matches | No. of ducks scored |
Sourav Ganguly | 195 | 13 |
MS Dhoni | 324 | 11 |
Kapil Dev | 108 | 10 |
Mohammad Azharuddin | 221 | 8 |
Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi | 40 | 7 |
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