MS Dhoni A Big Threat For Australia In Bengaluru T20I
MS Dhoni (Credits: Getty)

Australia had managed to keep in-form MS Dhoni silent in the first T20I in Vizag on Sunday. Dhoni had entered the game  after some scintillating displays in Australia and New Zealand. He scored three consecutive fifties to guide India to a historic series win in Australia before doing well in the subsequent series against New Zealand. However, things did not fall into place for Dhoni on Sunday.

He came to the crease when India were reeling at 80 for 3. The situation demanded a cautious approach and Dhoni did exactly that. However, with wickets falling on regular intervals, he never really managed to break the shackles. The former India skipper faced 37 deliveries and ended up with just 29 runs.

MS Dhoni A Big Threat For Australia In Bengaluru T20I
MS Dhoni (Credits: Getty)

Dhoni managed to hit just one boundary in his innings which is the most number of balls faced by an Indian in a T20I innings for hitting one or fewer boundaries. The previous highest was 35 balls by Ravindra Jadeja during the 2009 WT20 game against England. Jadeja hit only one four during his 35-ball stay for 25 runs.

Dhoni’s strike rate of 78.38 is now also the second lowest by an Indian batsman after Ravindra Jadeja, who holds the record with a strike rate on 71.42. Dinesh Mongia is third in the list with a strike rate of 84.44 he registered while scoring 38 off 45 balls against South Africa in 2006.

Dhoni will now be looking to make amends when India lock horns against Australia in the second and final T20I on Wednesday. The game will be played at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium which has been a happy hunting ground for the former India skipper.

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MS Dhoni A Big Threat For Australia In Bengaluru T20I
MS Dhoni (Credits: Getty)

So far, Dhoni has scored 536 runs in 17 T20s at this venue which is the second most runs scored by him at a venue in his career. His average of 59.55 at the ground is his third best in all the venues he’s batted for more than 5 innings. Chinnaswamy Stadium is also the ground where Dhoni has scored his first T20I fifty.

With India looking to win the game and avoid a series defeat, they would be desperately hoping their most experienced campaigner once again delivers with the bat.

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