Mahendra Singh Dhoni becomes first Indian keeper to cross 300 dismissals

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first Indian wicketkeeper and the fourth overall to effect 300 dismissals in One Day Internationals when he caught a Ross Taylor nick in the opening ODI against New Zealand here on Sunday. (Click here for latest on India's tour of New Zealand)

Prior to the series, Dhoni had 299 dismissals (220 caught and 79 stumpings). The 32-year-old, who now has 301 dismissals to his credit, completed the unique feat in 239 matches.

With this, he joined a legendary club which features the celebrated trio of Australia's Adam Gilchrist (472 dismissals in 287 matches), Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara (424 dismissals in 362 matches) and South Africa's Mark Boucher (424 dismissals in 295 matches). Of the three international stars, only Sangakkara is an active player.

Dhoni achieved the record off young pacer Mohammed Shami's bowling in the match here. In the 37th over of the game, Shami got Taylor to play a tired shot outside off which only took the edge on the way to Dhoni. Dhoni's 301st dismissal was a catch of Brendon McCullum off the bowling of Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Besides, Dhoni has now surpassed Mohammad Azharuddin for most number of catches against New Zealand by an Indian captain. His catch of Taylor was his 10th against the Kiwis.

 

At the start of the series, MS Dhoni had 25 sixes to his name on foreign soil. With two sixes in the first ODI, he became the only wicketkeeper-captain to score more 25-plus sixes away from home. As for boundaries, Dhoni had 148 away from home, at the start of the game and at the end of his 46-ball knock of 40, he became the first wicketkeeper-captain to score 150-plus fours away from home.

Dhoni also became the first wicketkeeper-captain to hit more than 400 fours in ODIs. His first four off Adam Milne in during the first ODI was his 400th boundary.

 

(Stats courtesy: PTI and HR Gopala Krishna)