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MS Dhoni – The Unsung Saviour in Tests: His top 5 away Test knocks

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MS Dhoni – The Unsung Saviour in Tests: His top 5 away Test knocks | Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s best knocks in his Test career | Best India Test wicketkeeper

“Dhoni finishes it off in style! A magnificent strike into the crowd. India lift the world cup after 28 years.” These iconic words of Ravi Shastri strike our mind first whenever we think of MS Dhoni. We all know how crucial Dhoni was for the Indian team in limited overs cricket. But as a wicket keeping batsman, his achievements are more than decent in Tests. In this segment, let’s remind you of critical circumstances when MSD showed his capability as a Test batsman to rescue the team abroad.

Here we go.

5. 57*(77) vs Australia, Sydney 2012

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This was a horrible overseas tour of the Indian team after they were crowned as the world champions. They got thrashed by the home side in the Boxing Day Test.

So, the second Test at Sydney was a must win game for India to gain some momentum.

But, they had a poor start to the match by losing their five batsmen for just 96 runs within 33 overs. All the Australian fast bowlers, especially Pattinson were looking deadly when Dhoni joined Sachin in the middle. Although he scored a modest 57, his back foot play was the highlight of the day. He easily played beautiful cuts and ferocious pulls against the Australian quick bowlers on a track that was helpful for seamers. Had he got some support at the other end, he surely would have made it big that day. His flamboyance on a tricky pitch against a good bowling attack prompted me to include this knock in this list. It was surely one of his finest displays of batting in an overseas test under pressure.

4. 148(153) vs Pakistan, Faisalabad, 2006

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Dhoni introduced himself to international cricket as a hard-hitting batsman. So there were doubts going on how an aggressive hitter would perform in the traditional format of the game. In this match, Pakistan posted a mammoth total of 588 in their first innings. In reply, India had lost their first five wickets for 281 runs, and thus still trailed by 308 runs.

With Akhtar and Asif looking in rhythm and Kaneria getting turn from the surface, it literally needed an astounding effort from a young guy like Dhoni to help India stay in the game. But he shifted the pressure completely to the opposition by playing a brutal counterattacking knock. He pulled the fastest bowler in the world numerous times effortlessly. He stepped out and hit huge sixes over long on against the spin to Kaneria. Due to this knock, India went on to score even more than Pakistan in their first innings. His heroics were applauded even by the opposition crowd, which signifies how good it was.

3. 77 (96) vs England, Edbagston, 2011

MS Dhoni - The Unsung Saviour in Tests: His top 5 away Test knocks | Mahendra Singh Dhoni's best knocks in his Test career | Best India Test wicketkeeper
MS Dhoni’s best Test knocks: Edgbaston is right up there for MSD.

This tour is probably one of the worst tours in the history of Indian cricket. India had already lost the first two Tests, and the morale of the team was seriously down before the next Test at Edgbaston.

After being asked to bat first, the Indian batters continued their poor run, reeling at 92 for 5. The duke ball was still 33 overs old and all the three English bowlers were breathing fire. In a situation like this, it was obviously not an easy task to negate the threat of a possible collapse and score runs as well. Dhoni dealt with the moving ball much better than all the experienced campaigners of the line up and later unleashed himself to score a fine 77 from just 96 deliveries. He played drives, powerful cuts, pulls and hooks and also some delicate shots by opening the face the bat with perfection. He was the lone warrior for India in this Test match as he scored another 74 in the second innings, as all others struggled once again.

2. 90 (106) vs South Africa, Centurion, 2010

MS Dhoni - The Unsung Saviour in Tests: His top 5 away Test knocks | Mahendra Singh Dhoni's best knocks in his Test career | Best India Test wicketkeeper
Centurion 2010: One of MS Dhoni’s finest knocks.

South Africa is the toughest place to bat among the SENA countries according to numerous cricket experts. And if you are the skipper of a visiting side to South Africa, your responsibility is double.

India were in deep trouble as they needed 207 runs to avoid an innings defeat when Dhoni went to bat in the 2nd innings at Centurion. So as I have mentioned above, it was a very tough situation for him both as a batsman as well as skipper. He absorbed all the pressure and cooperated Sachin nicely to stitch a terrific partnership of 172 runs for the 7th wicket. On his way to a dominating 90 from just 106 balls, he hit 14 gorgeous boundaries. Although his efforts went in vain as India lost the game, his knock was highly appreciated by the cricket pundits and is regarded as one of his best innings in Test cricket in crunch situations.

1. 76* (159) vs England, Lord’s, 2007

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This was MS Dhoni’s first England tour. In his debut knock in the country, he was dismissed for a duck. In the 2nd innings, India were given a steep target of 380 runs, and much depended on the top order to perform.

However, in reply, they were in a spot of bother as they lost five crucial wickets for 145 runs when Dhoni went to bat alongside VVS Laxman. Just when things seemed to be settled, Laxman lost his middle stump off a peach of a delivery from Tremlett. So the burden of saving the Test was completely on the young shoulders of MS Dhoni. In this kind of a situation, the world witnessed a completely different MSD, as he played with utmost responsibility aiming to save the Test. His patient innings of 76 from 159 balls well accompanied by the tail-enders ensured a valuable draw for India. It was indeed the very first sight of his calmness and composure on a cricket field.


So, this is my tribute to the legend in form of his 5 fine knocks in overseas tests under immense pressure. Have your say!

Written by Debashish Sarangi. Follow Debashish on Twitter today.

Also read: All-time T20 XI: Who makes the cut?

Debashish Sarangi
Debashish Sarangihttps://cricket.one/author-profile/debashis-sarangi/14
Debashis loves translating his passion for cricket into words. He specialises in cricket opinion pieces including forward-thinking articles including players to watch as well as analysis across the three formats: T20s, ODIs, Tests. Debashis is also a prominent writer and editor for website OneCricket https://cricket.one.

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