Mahendra Singh Dhoni is the fifth Indian to score 10000 runs in ODIs
Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the fifth Indian and 13th overall to breach the 10000-run mark in ODIs on Saturday during the first ODI of the three-match series against Australia.
Dhoni, who had 10173 runs before the start of the game, reached the landmark when he scored the first run of the innings. That was his 10000th ODI run for India. Before this, he had scored 174 runs for Asia XI.
Before him, Sachin Tendulkar (18426), Sourav Ganguly (11221), Rahul Dravid (10768) and Virat Kohli (10235) achieved the feat.
He is also the second wicketkeeper to score 10000 runs in the 50-over format after Sri Lanka's Kumar Sangakkara, who has scored 14234 runs from 404 ODIs.
In 330 ODIs for India till daye, Dhoni has scored 10000 runs at an average of 49.75, smashing 9 hundreds and 67 half-centuries in the process.
Dhoni, who has been struggling with the bat for a while, came in to bat as early as the fourth over of India's chase of 289 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Chasing 289, India lost Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu cheaply and therefore, that brought Dhoni early into the crease. The 37-year-old has been under the scanner for a while and the Australia series is an golden opportunity for him to prove that he is not done yet.
With Rishabh Pant waiting in the wings, Dhoni's form ahead of the 2019 World Cup in England is crucial for Kohli & Co.
