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Dhoni, the man with the Midas touch

Last updated on: August 9, 2010 14:19 IST

Image: MS Dhoni
Rajneesh Gupta

He is one of the most charismatic captains in contemporary cricket.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni started off as a stop-gap captain, leading India for the first time in a Test against South Africa at Kanpur in 2007-08.

India was trailing in the series 0-1 after two Tests, but he won the Test on captaincy debut and India levelled the series. Since then he hasn't looked back.

Known as the 'Man with the Midas touch', Dhoni enjoys a record most captains would love to replicate. Under him, India is yet to lose a series.

Following are the series in which Dhoni led India in at least two matches.

Series Season Result
v South Africa in India+ 2007-08 drawn the 3-match series 1-1
v Australia in India# 2008-09 won the 4-match series 2-0
v England in India 2008-09 won the 2 match series 1-0
v New Zealand in NZ$ 2008-09 won the 3 match series 1-0
v Sri Lanka in India 2009-10 won the 3 match series 2-0
v Bangladesh in Bangladesh* 2009-10 won the 2 match series 2-0
v South Africa in India 2009-10 drawn the 2 match series 1-1 (coming from behind)
v Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka 2010 drawn the 3 match series 1-1 (coming from behind)

+ captained only in the last Test of the series.

#  the series comprised four matches, but Dhoni captained only in second and fourth. Kumble captained in first and third.

$ the series comprised three matches, but Dhoni captained only in two (first & third). Sehwag captained in the second Test.

* Dhoni captained India in only the second Test, Sehwag captained in the first.

Dhoni's win percentage is 62.50

Image: MS Dhoni

After 16 Tests, Dhoni's winning percentage stands at 62.50, which is the joint third highest for any captain in Test cricket (having captained his respective side in 15 or more matches).

Most successful captains in Test cricket

Mts Won Lost Drawn/Tied Won%
S Waugh (Aus) 57 41 9 7 71.93
RT Ponting (Aus) 71 47 12 12 66.20
DG Bradman (Aus) 24 15 3 6 62.50
MS Dhoni (Ind) 16 10 2 4 62.50
DR Jardine (Eng) 15 9 1 5 60.00
FMM Worrell (WI) 15 9 3 2/1 60.00

Fourth largest run chase by India

Image: VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag

India's run chase in the third and final Test against Sri Lanka in Colombo was the fourth largest fourth innings target successfully chased by India. Out of India's five largest successful chases, three have come since 2000.

Highest fourth innings successful chases for India

Target Opponent Venue Season Margin
403 West Indies Port-of-Spain 1975-76 6 wickets
387 England Chennai 2008-09 6 wickets
264 Sri Lanka Kandy 2001-02 7 wickets
257 Sri Lanka Colombo PSS 2010 5 wickets
254 Australia Mumbai BS 1964-65 2 wickets

Laxman is fourth Indian to score century for a winning cause

Image: VVS Laxman

VVS Laxman became only the fourth Indian to score a century in the fourth innings of a Test for a winning cause, joining the ranks with Gundappa Viswanath, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar.

The following table lists Indian batsmen's highest scores in the fourth innings of a Test, which India went on to win.

Highest scores in the fourth innings for a winning cause

Runs

Opposition

Venue

Season

GR Viswanath

112

v West Indies

Port of Spain

1975-76

SR Tendulkar

103*

v England

Chennai

2008-09

VVS Laxman

103*

v Sri Lanka

Colombo PSS

2010

SM Gavaskar

102

v West Indies

Port-of-Spain

1975-76

SC Ganguly

98*

v Sri Lanka

Kandy

2001

AL Wadekar

91*

v Australia

Delhi

1969-70

Raina's unique record

Image: Suresh Raina

Suresh Raina ended the match in style with a six off Welegedara. He thus became only the third Indian to accomplish the feat of finishing a Test match on winning note with a six.

Interestingly, in the first Test of the just-concluded series, in Galle, Dilshan had hit a six off Harbhajan to win the match for Sri Lanka.

Indian batsmen winning a Test with a six

Batsman

Bowler

Opposition

Venue

Season

Kapil Dev

Phil Edmonds

v England

Lord's

1986

Harbhajan Singh

Heath Streak

v Zimbabwe

Delhi

2001-02

Suresh Raina

Chanaka Welegedara

v Sri Lanka

Colombo PSS

2010

Statistics: Rajnnesh Gupta