The Great Game Called Cricket...

India v Australia, 2nd ODI, Nagpur

Destructive Dhoni blasts India to 354

October 28, 2009

50 overs India 354 for 7 (Dhoni 124, Gambhir 76, Raina 62) against Australia
How they were out

MS Dhoni rediscovered his big-hitting..

Matches: India v Australia at Nagpur
Series/Tournaments: Australia tour of India
Teams: Australia | India

First, he consolidated the innings with Gautam Gambhir. Then, in tandem with Suresh Raina, he tore the bowling apart. MS Dhoni's superb 107-ball 124, his first century against Australia, was the foundation for India's highest-ever total against Australia, a mammoth 354 for 7. When the batting Powerplay was taken with the scoreboard showing 238 for 4 after 39 overs, the run-rate had dipped close to six. But with 47 coming from those five overs, and the mayhem continuing unabated afterwards, Ricky Ponting's decision to bowl first in view of the dew factor didn't look too clever. Peter Siddle bowled with impressive pace and accuracy, while Nathan Hauritz was tidy, but the rest were taken to the cleaners on a day when Dhoni appeared to rediscover his big-hitting mojo.

It was no one-man show though, with Gambhir contributing 76 from 80 balls and Raina lashing 62 from just 50 deliveries. When Gambhir departed, run out by a direct hit from Hauritz at mid-off after Dhoni had miscued a slower ball from Siddle, the stage was set for a final onslaught, but few could have predicted how devastating it would be. The first five overs of the Dhoni-Raina partnership produced just 22 runs, but from the moment Dhoni slugged Siddle though cover to end the first over of the Powerplay, the wheels came off for Australia.

Raina kept heaving Mitchell Johnson through midwicket, and with Dhoni slapping one straight down the ground, 18 came from the over. Ben Hilfenhaus's return to the fray was greeted with an astonishing flat six over midwicket and two mighty wallops over long-off from the hapless Shane Watson took Dhoni to his century from just 94 balls.

Raina then took over, racing to his half-century from 42 balls in a Hilfenhaus over that went for 18. And though Johnson, who'd gone for 70 in his first nine overs, returned to dismiss both in the final over, the damage had been done, with the partnership worth 136 in just 93 balls.

They had started as explosively, with Virender Sehwag in terrific form. Hilfenhaus took the new ball in Brett Lee's absence, and Sehwag wasted no time, with a lofted cover-drive and powerful cut setting the scoreboard in motion. At the other end, Sachin Tendulkar got off the mark with a neat tuck off the pads for four, but when Siddle got one to dart away a touch after pitching outside off stump, he could only edge to first slip.

Sehwag though carried on undaunted, clipping Hilfenhaus for two leg-side fours, prompting Ponting to bring on Johnson in the seventh over. Siddle was bowling furiously quick, stinging Paine's fingers with a misdirected bouncer, but it was all India as Sehwag clouted a slower ball from Johnson over long-on for six.

After a stroke of fortune, an edge past slip off Siddle, Sehwag finally chanced the arm once too often. Another slower ball from Johnson and this time, he could only find mid-off. With 67 already on the board, Australia delayed the Powerplay by an over and then called back Hilfenhaus. Yuvraj Singh, back in the side in place of Virat Kohli, promptly worked him through midwicket for four, and when Paine grassed a tough chance to his left with Gambhir on 20, it seemed as though it wasn't to be Hilfenhaus's day.

But the break for drinks changed that, with Yuvraj slamming the first ball, another slow one, straight back down the pitch. Hilfenhaus took it at shin height. The next ball struck Dhoni on the back of the helmet. By that stage, Ponting had turned to his slow bowlers. Hauritz, having been lofted for a straight six by Yuvraj, was then cover-driven for four by Dhoni. But both he and Adam Voges were getting sharp turn, and for a while, the Indians were reliant on singles and twos to keep the score ticking over.

But a Dhoni straight-drive off Hauritz and two impressive shots from Gambhir through the covers broke the boundary shackles, and with both men running brilliantly between wickets, the bowlers were never allowed to settle. Both took 55 balls for their half-centuries, and it took a moment of carelessness on Gambhir's part to end the partnership which was worth 119 from 113 balls. But with Raina filling the breach so effectively, India never flagged. As for Dhoni, he was simply unstoppable.

Prime Numbers

12

The number of times India have scored 350 or more in ODIs, which is the most by any team. South Africa have done it eight times, and Australia six.
354

India's total, which is their highest against Australia, and the highest by any team when batting first against them. The previous highest by a team batting first had been 343, by Sri Lanka in Sydney in 2003.
124

MS Dhoni's score, which is the highest by a captain in an ODI against Australia. The previous highest had been Sanath Jayasuriya's 122 in the match mentioned above. It's also the highest by a wicketkeeper against Australia,bettering Kamran Akmal's 116 not out in Abu Dhabi earlier this year. In fact, it's only the fourth century by a wicketkeeper against Australia.
136

The partnership between Dhoni and Suresh Raina, which is India's second-highest for the fifth wicket against Australia.
87

The number of runs India scored in their last seven overs.