The man behind the stumps for Team India scripts his name into the history books once again as Mahendra Singh Dhoni became the first Indian to successfully effect 400 One Day International dismissals. The former skipper achieved this feat when India routed South Africa in the 3rd ODI where the Men in Blue won by 124 runs at Newlands, Cape Town.
It was when chinaman Kuldeep Yadav bowled a perfect flighted delivery to dismiss the Proteas in-stand skipper Aiden Markram as Dhoni was lightning fast to take the bails off the stumps before Markram could even make a move. The ball had turned outside edge, beat the skipper's bat and within seconds the players were celebrating another dismissal.
An underfire Dhoni continues to perform exquisitely well behind the stumps if not with the bat as out of the 400 dismissals, the former skipper has 294 catches, 106 stumpings to his name. Dhoni is fourth overall as he trails behind Sri Lanka legend Kumar Sangakkara who has the most dismissals with 482. Australia's legendary wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist has 472 whereas South Africa great Mark Boucher has 424 dismissals to their respective names.
Dhoni was the first player to inflict over 100 stumpings and also holds the record of the most number of unbeaten ODI innings of 73.
The World Cup-winning captain has been scrutinised with his performances with the bat in recent times but has surely made up for his position in the squad as a wicket-keeper and most importantly as a mentor to the young Indian team.
The former skipper will now take charge as he returns back to the Chennai Super Kings in the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
