10 Most Destructive One Day International innings of all time

#5 M.S. Dhoni’s 183 not out against Sri Lanka at Jaipur in 2005

M.S. Dhoni made the highest ODI score by a wicket-keeper at Jaipur

This was Dhoni’s 22ndODI. Dhoni had earlier scored 148 against Pakistan at Vishakapatnam. In that match, Dhoni came in at No.3 while batting first. In the Jaipur match, Sri Lanka set 299 runs for India to win. Sri Lanka had two champion bowlers in Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Sehwag launched the Indian innings in style easing the first ball through covers for a four. However, India lost Sachin Tendulkar in that first over itself to Vaas. Then, Captain Rahul Dravid made his master move by sending Dhoni at No.3 with a free license to go after the bowling. Dhoni was equal to the task from the start of his innings.

Dhoni started his innings with an extraordinary six off Vaas over cover fence. Dhoni repeated that shot in Vaas’s next over with the same result. Maharoof was taken apart as his first 2 overs went for 27 runs. Dhoni that day outclassed the great Sehwag and reached his 50 off 40 balls with 6 fours and 3 sixes. Even the loss of Sehwag for 39 did not stop Dhoni from going for his shots.

Rahul Dravid joined Dhoni who was on 56. Before Dravid could reach double figures, Dhoni got into his 90s off 70 balls. Even Muralidharan was not spared either. However, Dhoni slowed down a little bit in the 90s and reached his 100 off 85 balls with 10 fours and 5 sixes.

Dhoni lost Dravid at the other end and Yuvraj Singh joined him. Dhoni kept smacking Maharoof, Chandana, and Dilshan and reached his 150 off 123 balls. Chandana ended up conceding 83 runs in his 10 overs while Maharoof leaked 50 runs in 7 overs.

Dhoni finished off the match in style with his 10th six of the innings off Dilshan. Dhoni remained not out on 183 off 145 balls with a total of 15 fours and 10 sixes. India chased down a stiff target with 23 balls to spare. His 183 was the highest score by a wicket-keeper in ODIs.

During his tenure as Captain, Dravid gambled on so many occasions and promoted Dhoni up the order and Dhoni never failed him. His Jaipur effort was a testimony to that.