Celebrating Captain Cool: 5 greatest MS Dhoni innings that went in vain

#4 MS Dhoni's 139* off 121 vs Australia (3rd ODI, 2013)

MS Dhoni recorded a 121-ball 139 with no support from the other end

In the 3rd ODI of Australia's tour of India in 2013 at Mohali, MS Dhoni walked in at No. 6 with his team in a precarious position at 76-4. The then-Indian captain stitched together important partnerships with Virat Kohli and Ravichandran Ashwin to take his side to a respectable 303 in their allotted 50 overs.

MS Dhoni himself finished on an unbeaten 139 off just 121 balls, hitting 12 boundaries and 5 big sixes over the course of his 37-over vigil at the crease. However, despite the gloveman's incredible effort, James Faulkner's stunning late act snatched the victory for the tourists.

Coming in as low as No. 8, the left-arm quick pulverised the Indian death bowlers to finish on 64 off just 29 balls, with 2 fours and 6 maximums. The Kangaroos were able to overhaul the run-a-ball target in the last over to take a 2-1 lead in the 7-match series.

However, riding on Rohit Sharma's 491 runs in 5 innings, India won the series 3-2.

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#3 MS Dhoni's 79* off 44 vs Kings XI Punjab (IPL 2018)

MS Dhoni's incredible knock against KXIP went in vain

In the 2018 edition of the IPL, expectations were never higher as MS Dhoni was set to captain the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on their return after a two-year hiatus. Both the team and the skipper didn't disappoint as the Men In Yellow cruised to their 3rd IPL title.

In the process, MS Dhoni played many great innings, with his unbeaten 79 off just 44 balls against KXIP being one of them. However, CSK came up 4 runs short in their chase of 198, a total reached due to Chris Gayle's 63 off 33 balls.

With 67 needed off the last 4 overs, CSK were all but written off. But as they have done so many times in the past, they nearly pulled off a heist, with MS Dhoni bringing the equation down to 17 off the last over, bowled by Mohit Sharma.

Although a six and a four were managed, a few pinpoint yorkers meant that MS Dhoni came off second-best, something that has happened very rarely at the fag end of matches.