India vs Sri Lanka 2017: MS Dhoni on the cusp of 10,000 ODI runs

What’s the story?

Former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is closing in on 10,000 ODI runs and he needs another 109 runs to become the fourth Indian to get to the landmark.

Apart from this Dhoni has been consistent in scoring this year and is the fourth highest run-scorer for India this year.

The details

Dhoni has done brilliantly in Mohali, the venue for the second ODI and has the numbers which underline his worth to the team at this particular venue.

Dhoni is the second on the list of ODI runs in Mohali and needs just 11 runs to overtake Sachin Tendulkar as the highest run-scorer at the venue.

Currently, he averages 59.33 and has a strike rate of 92.46 at Mohali.

In case you didn’t know…

Dhoni has always been amongst the runs against Sri Lanka and he continued his form in Dharamsala where he scored a face-saving 65.

In the last eight ODIs, Dhoni has scored four half-centuries and has a batting average of 131 against Sri Lanka.

In the 64 matches he has played against Sri Lanka, Dhoni has scored 2376 runs at an astounding average of 66 and with a strike rate of 90. All these numbers bode well for the man when he takes the field on Wednesday.

What’s next?

After an embarrassing loss in the first ODI, where the hosts were bundled out for 112, India would now look to get their act together in the second ODI which has become a must-win clash for them.

Mohali has generally been good for the hosts and they need to stick to their plans against an inspired Sri Lankan side which will be high on confidence after a momentous win coming at the back of 12 consecutive defeats.

Author’s take

Dhoni drove home the message that he is still instrumental to the Indian side in ODIs and made sure that all the naysayers were forced to retract their statements after his solid performance in Dharamsala.

However, he would now hope that the team gets past Sri Lanka in Mohali to draw level in the series.