Mahendra Singh Dhoni has time and again proved his worth behind the stumps and in front of them. And on Sunday (September 17), he completed yet another milestone in his illustrious international career indicating that he still has a lot of cricket left in him.
India were in trouble in the first ODI against Australia at Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium and Dhoni (79 off 88) did the rescue act with Hardik Pandya (83 off 66). The hosts recovered from 11/3 and then 87/5 to post 281/7 in 50 overs.
In reply, Australia's innings was reduced due to rain. They were set a revised target of 164 in 21 overs. India won by 26 runs via the Duckworth/Lewis method to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Also read: India-Australia series schedule
The 36-year-old Dhoni achieved another significant achievement in international career. He completed 100 half centuries at the highest level of the game.
Dhoni, the former captain, is only the fourth Indian in the elite club, which is headed by batting legend Sachin Tendulkar (164). Rahul Dravid (146) and Sourav Ganguly (107) are the other two.
Overall, Dhoni is the 13th in the list of batsmen to have scored 100 or more international half centuries.
Dhoni, who is the only captain in history to have won all three International Cricket Council's (ICC) trophies (World Twenty20 2007, 2011 World Cup and Champions Trophy 2013), made his international debut in a 50-over game against Bangladesh in 2004.
His start at the top level was a forgettable one as he was run out for a duck. But after that he has scaled many heights. Yesterday's half century was his 66th in ODIs. He has 33 in Tests and one in Twenty20 Internationals, taking the tally to a hundred.
Yet another 100 for @msdhoni! This time in front of the stumps! Congratulations on a century of 50s Mahi ?? pic.twitter.com/2yPf1wUnW7
— sachin tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 17, 2017
It was a special feat for Dhoni at his second home - Chennai. The fans were waiting to see him for a long time and it was a memorable return. Dhoni had missed out playing in Chennai in IPL as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were banned for two years due to corruption.
Tendulkar was among the several cricketers to wish Dhoni for his achievement. He wrote on his Twitter page, "Yet another 100 for @msdhoni! This time in front of the stumps! Congratulations on a century of 50s Mahi."
