Records which Dhoni can break during Asia Cup: Sportsrush presents before you three feats which Dhoni can achieve during the tournament.
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Former India captain and current wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni will walk out against Hong Kong on September 18 playing his fifth Asia Cup. Having played his first Asia Cup in 2008 in Pakistan, Dhoni was part of the tournament in 2010 (Sri Lanka), 2012 (Bangladesh) and 2016 (Bangladesh).
Having captained India in all these tournaments, he saw his team winning the tournament in 2010 and 2016 and finishing as the runners-up in 2008. Dhoni was ruled out of the tournament in 2014 with a side strain. For a player who will be completing a decade playing one tournament, records are bound to come.
Citing the same in mind and post digging into Dhoni’s numbers over the past years, we have shortlisted three records which Dhoni must be looking forward to break in the imminent tourney. It is necessary to mention that the 2016 edition of the tournament isn’t being taken into consideration because it was played in a T20I format. The records are:
1. 11th Highest run-scorer in ODIs – In the 321 ODIs which Dhoni has played so far, he has scored 10,046 runs at an average of 51.25 and a strike rate of 88.13. He is currently at the 12th spot on the list of highest run-scorer in the format. Former Sri Lanka captain Tillakaratne Dilshan, who has 10,290 runs to his name, is a position above Dhoni.
In the six matches that India are scheduled to play in the tournament (assuming that they enter the final), Dhoni has a clear chance of surpassing Dilshan. For that, he will have to score 244 runs in six matches. In regular captain Virat Kohli’s absence, one can expect more workload to fall on Dhoni’s shoulders. In such a situation, scoring 244 runs isn’t a distant possibility.
2. Entering the Top Five highest run-scorers in Asia Cup – In the 13 matches that Dhoni has played in the Asia Cup, he has amassed 571 runs at an average of 95.16 and a strike rate of 92.84. If Dhoni scores 103 runs in this tournament, he will become the fifth -highest run-scorer in the Asia Cup.
Having scored 674 runs in 28 matches at an average of 29.30 and a strike rate of 87.64, Mahela Jayawardene is currently at No. 5. Sanath Jayasuriya, who has scored 1,220 runs in 25 matches at an average of 53.04 and a strike rate of 102.52, tops the list.
3. Most dismissals by a wicket-keeper in Asia Cup – Dhoni’s increasing age has had no affect whatsoever on his skills as a wicket-keeper. The 37-year old still finds himself affecting praiseworthy stumping dismissals. In 13 Asia Cup matches, Dhoni has affected 24 dismissals (19 catches and five stumpings).
Kumar Sangakkara, who has featured in five Asia Cups (2004-2014), has 36 dismissals (27 catches and nine stumpings) under his belt, most by a wicket-keeper. If Dhoni manages to affect 12 dismissals in six matches (assuming that India enters the final), he will top the list of most dismissals by a wicket-keeper in Asia Cup.
The Asia Cup is set to commence from September 15 with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka set to take on each other.
