One of the greatest wicket-keepers to ever lace a pair of boots, the legend of MS Dhoni still remains unparalleled in cricket. The former Indian skipper has wowed us with his outlandish feats of brilliance on the field over the last decade and a half. Owing to his innumerable accomplishments, MS continues to be one of the most decorated athletes in the world of sports. Despite batting in the lower order for a vast portion of his career, Dhoni has had multiple centuries to his name in ODIs as well. This article provides an insightful look at the top five MS Dhoni ODI Innings.
5. 65 vs Sri Lanka, Dharamshala, 2017
Being stuck in the middle of nowhere at 29-7, India was at the brink of humiliation at the hands of their neighbors across the Palk Strait, Sri Lanka. The Lankan Lions were eyeing to restrict India to their lowest ever total, but MS Dhoni stood in between that. Batting with great resilience alongside tailenders, the former Indian skipper held his ground and added some much-needed runs to the Indian tally. Reaching his half-century in the process, Dhoni took India’s figures to triple digits. However, his gritty innings of 65, which consisted of 10 fours and 2 sixes, didn’t prove to be enough for the Men-in-Blue as they were restricted to a score of 112. Sri Lanka was able to chase the target with relative ease as they gained the upper hand in the 5-match series.
4. 148* vs Pakistan, Visakhapatnam, 2005
Having registered scores of 0, 12, 7*, and 3 in his first four international outings, Dhoni announced himself on the biggest stage with a stroke-filled 148 off 123 balls. The second One Day International of the six-match series between India and Pakistan saw Dhoni playing another remarkable inning. The former Indian skipper walked in to bat at number three and owned the competition with his mesmerizing shots. The knock included 15 boundaries and four maximums at a strike rate of 120.33. The exploits by Dhoni helped India in posting a total of 356 runs and winning the match by 58 runs.
Also Read: Dhoni Best 5 T20I Innings – Top 5 best innings of MS Dhoni in T20 International
3. 113* vs Pakistan, Chennai, 2012
Dhoni produced one of the best innings played by a Number seven batter against Pakistan in 2012. In the first innings, Pakistan bowlers breathed fire with the ball as, after ten overs, India found themselves reeling at 29 for five. The hosts were heading towards an embarrassing total but Dhoni showed his grit and determination. The wicketkeeper played an incredible knock of not out 113 to help India post a total of 227. However, Dhoni’s century came in a losing cause as Pakistan comfortably reached the target with six wickets in hand.
2. 183* vs Sri Lanka, Jaipur, 2005
Playing the third One Day International of the seven-match series against Sri Lanka, Dhoni registered his highest score in ODI. While India was chasing 299 runs, batting at number three, Dhoni played an incredible knock of 183 off 145. He hit 15 fours and 10 sixes in a brutal display of ball striking. His tally of 10 sixes was a record for an Indian batsman in ODIs until Rohit Sharma bettered it during his double century against Australia in Bangalore in 2013. Dhoni was the wrecker-in-chief for the hosts as the Indians registered a monumental victory by six wickets with 23 balls remaining.
Also Read: Dhoni ODI Centuries | List Of All MS Dhoni Centuries In One day (ODIs)
1. 91* vs Sri Lanka, Mumbai, 2011
Dhoni’s incredible knock of 91 runs in the final of the World Cup 2011 will go down as one of the most memorable knocks. Chasing a total of 275 runs posted by Sri Lanka in the final, India found themselves at 114 for three. However, the partnership of Dhoni and Gautam Gambhir completely turned the tide in favor of the Men-in-Blue. Dhoni smacked 91 runs off 79 deliveries including eight boundaries and two maximums. Arguably the most crucial knock in Indian cricket history, MS Dhoni’s brilliance with the bat at the Wankhede helped India lift the ICC World Cup after 28 years.
Top Five MS Dhoni ODI Innings
The following table is a summarised view of the top Five MS Dhoni ODI Innings
| Runs | Opposition | Venue | Year | 4s | 6s |
| 65 | Sri Lanka | Dharamshala | 2017 | 10 | 2 |
| 148* | Pakistan | Visakhapatnam | 2005 | 15 | 4 |
| 113* | Pakistan | Chennai | 2012 | 7 | 3 |
| 183* | Sri Lanka | Jaipur | 2005 | 15 | 10 |
| 91* | Sri Lanka | Mumbai | 2011 | 8 | 2 |
