Defiant Dhoni strengthens India
04-Dec-2009
MS Dhoni fully capitalised on his reprieve early on • AFP
Even as Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid missed out on centuries, MS Dhoni led from the front to establish India's supremacy at the Brabourne Stadium. He scored his third Test hundred, and some late hitting ensured the hosts never lost momentum.
MS Dhoni may have got to his hundred but he was given a lucky reprieve when he was on six. Herath's fourth delivery in the 128th over, was flighted outside off stump. Dhoni stretched forward to defend and edged it between the gap between Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan - at slip and second slip respectively.
But apart from the hiccup, he went from strength to strength, playing an important part in holding the Indian tail together. Dhoni was on 50 when No. 11, Pragyan Ojha, walked in.
Dhoni however, hogged the strike during the unbeaten 76-run stand, choosing to score mainly in sixes. And he whiplashed Herath for five of them, three straight, one over midwicket, and the final one over long-on and out of the stadium. He also hooked Welegedara for one.
In the whole record-breaking spree, the last one belonged to India: they scored their highest Test total, beating the 705 for 7 against Australia in Sydney. All credit on the third day going to the Indian captain.