The Indian ODI team in the early 2000s saw Rahul Dravid as the wicket-keeper to ensure that the wicket-keeper spot didn't lack in batting talent.[39] The team also saw the entry of wicket-keeper/batsmen from the junior ranks with talents like Parthiv Pateland Dinesh Karthik (both India U-19 captains) named in the Test squads.[39] With Dhoni making a mark in the India A squad, he was picked in the ODI squad for theBangladesh tour in 2004/05.[41] Dhoni did not have a great start to his ODI career, getting run out for a duck on debut.[42] In spite of an average series againstBangladesh, Dhoni was picked for the Pakistan ODI series.[43] In the second match of the series, Dhoni, in his fifth one-day international, scored 148 in Vishakapatnam off only 123 deliveries. Dhoni's 148 surpassed the earlier record for the highest score by an Indian wicket-keeper,[44] a record that he would re-write before the end of the year.
Dhoni had few batting opportunities in the first two games of the Sri Lankan bilateral ODI series (October–November 2005) and was promoted to No. 3 in the third ODI atSawai Mansingh Stadium (Jaipur). Sri Lanka had set India a target of 299 after a Kumar Sangakkara century and, in reply, India lost Tendulkar early. Dhoni was promoted to accelerate the scoring and ended the game with an unbeaten 183 off 145 balls, winning the game for India.[45] The innings was described in Wisden Almanack (2006) as 'Uninhibited, yet anything but crude'.[46] The innings set various records including the highest individual score in ODI cricket in the second innings,[47] a record that still stands. Dhoni ended the series with the highest run aggregate (346)[48] and was awarded the Man of the Series award for his efforts. In December 2005, Dhoni was rewarded a B-grade contract by the BCCI.[49]
India scored 328 in 50 overs with Dhoni contributing 68 in their first match of 2006 against Pakistan. However, the team finished poorly scoring just 43 runs in the last eight overs and lost the match due to Duckworth-Lewis method.[50] In the third match of the series, Dhoni came in with India in a precarious situation and scored 72 runs off just 46 balls that included 13 boundaries to help India take a 2–1 lead in the series.[51][52] The final match of the series had a repeat performance as Dhoni scored 77 runs off 56 balls to enable India win the series 4–1.[53] Due to his consistent ODI performances, Dhoni overtook Ricky Ponting as number one in the ICC ODI Rankings for batsmen on 20 April 2006.[54] His reign lasted just a week as Adam Gilchrist's performance against Bangladeshmoved him to the top spot.[55]
Two cancelled series in Sri Lanka, one due to the withdrawal of South Africa from the Unitech Cup due to security concerns[56] and the replacement three-match ODI bilateral series against Sri Lanka washed due to rain,[57] was India's prelude to another disappointing tournament – DLF Cup 2006-07. Dhoni scored 43 runs as the team lost twice in three games and did not qualify for the finals. India's lack of preparation showed in the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy as they lost to West Indies andAustralia, though Dhoni scored a half-century against West Indies. The story of the ODI series inSouth Africa was the same for both Dhoni and India as Dhoni scored 139 runs in 4 matches and India lost the series 4–0. From the start of the West Indies ODI series, Dhoni had played 16 matches, hit just two fifties and averaged 25.93. Dhoni received criticism on his wicket-keeping technique from former wicket-keeper Syed Kirmani.[58]
Preparations for the 2007 Cricket World Cup improved as India recorded identical 3–1 victories overWest Indies and Sri Lanka and Dhoni had averages in excess of 100 in both these series. However, India unexpectedly crashed out the World Cup after losses to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in the group stage. Dhoni was out for a duck in both these matches and scored just 29 runs in the tournament. After the loss to Bangladesh in 2007 Cricket World Cup, the house that Dhoni was constructing in his home-town Ranchi was vandalised and damaged by political activists of JMM.[59] The local police arranged for security for his family as India exited the World Cup in the first round.[60]
Dhoni put his disappointing performances in the World Cup behind him by scoring 91* against Bangladesh after India were left in a tight spot earlier in the run-chase. Dhoni was declared the Man of the Match for his performance, his fourth in ODI cricket. He was also later adjudged the Man of the Series after the third game of the series was washed away. Dhoni had a good Afro-Asia Cup, scoring 174 runs in 3 matches at an average of 87.00, with a blitzkrieg 139 not out of 97 balls, a Man of the Match innings, in the third ODI.
Dhoni was named vice-captain of the ODI team for the series against South Africa in Ireland and the subsequent India-England seven-match ODI series.[61] Dhoni, who received a 'B' grade contract in December 2005, was awarded an 'A' grade contract in June 2007. And also he was elected as captain of the Indian squad for the World Twenty20 in September 2007. On 2 September 2007, Dhoni equaled his idol Adam Gilchrist's international record for the most dismissals in an innings in ODI by catching five English players and stumping one.[62] He led India to the ICC World Twenty 20 trophy in South Africa with a victory over arch-rivals Pakistan in an intensely fought final on 24 September 2007, and became the second Indian captain to have won a World Cup in any form of cricket, after Kapil Dev. During the series between India and Australia, Dhoni hit an aggressive 124 runs in just 107 balls, in the second ODI, and a measured knock of 71 runs in 95 balls, along with Yuvraj Singh, saw India home by 6 wickets, in the third ODI. Dhoni took his first wicket in international cricket on 30 September 2009. He bowled Travis Dowlin of the West Indies during a match of the 2009 Champions Trophy.
Dhoni topped the ICC ODI Batsman rankings for several months continuously in 2009. Michael Hussey from Australia replaced him for the top spot in the beginning of 2010.[63]
Dhoni had an excellent year in ODIs in 2009 scoring 1198 runs in just 24 innings at an astonishing average of 70.43. Dhoni was also the joint top-scorer in ODIs in 2009 along with Ricky Ponting, but the latter having played in 30 innings.
On 12 February 2012, Dhoni made an unbeaten 44 to guide India to their first win over Australia at Adelaide. In the final over, he hit a monstrous six which traveled 112 metres off the bowling of Clint McKay. During the post-match presentation, he described this six as more important than the one he hit during the ICC World Cup final in 2011.[64]
ODI cricket
- ODI Centuries
| Mahendra Singh Dhoni's ODI Centuries | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Score | Balls | 4s | 6s | Against | H/A/N | Venue | Year | Result |
| 1 | 148 | 123 | 15 | 4 |  Pakistan | Home | ACA-VDCA Stadium, Vishakapatnam,Hyderabad | 2005 | India won by 58 runs |
| 2 | 183 | 145 | 15 | 10 |  Sri Lanka | Home | Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur,Rajasthan | 2005 | India won by 6 wickets |
| 3 | 139 | 97 | 15 | 5 | Africa XI | Home | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk,Chennai | 2007 | Asia XI won by 13 runs |
| 4 | 109 | 96 | 6 | 6 |  Hong Kong | Neutral | National Stadium, Karachi, Karachi,Pakistan | 2008 | India won by 256 runs |
| 5 | 124 | 107 | 9 | 3 |  Australia | Home | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium,Nagpur, Maharashtra | 2009 | India won by 99 runs |
| 6 | 107 | 111 | 8 | 2 | Sri Lanka | Home | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium,Nagpur, Maharashtra | 2009 | Sri Lanka won by 3 wickets |
| 7 | 101 | 107 | 9 | 0 |  Bangladesh | Away | Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium, Mirpur,Dhaka | 2010 | India won by 6 wickets |
| 8 | 113 | 125 | 7 | 3 | Pakistan | Home | MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk,Chennai | 2012 | Pakistan won by 6 wickets |
| 9 | 139* | 121 | 12 | 5 | Australia | Home | Punjab Cricket Association Stadium,Mohali | 2013 | Australia won by 4 wickets |
ODI records
- On 31 October 2005 Dhoni scored 183* runs of just 145 balls against Sri Lanka in Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur, which is the highest score made by any batsman in the second innings which was latter bettered by Australian player Shane Watson who scored 185* of 96 balls against Bangladesh at Dhaka on 11 April 2011.[47]
- The innings featured 10 Sixes – the most by an Indian in an innings, and the fifth highest in ODIs.[89]
- He broke Adam Gilchrist's record of 172 for the highest score made by a wicket keeper.
- The innings set the record for the most number of runs scored in boundaries (120 – 15×4; 10×6) breaking the record held bySaeed Anwar. However this was later broken by Herschelle Gibbs (126 runs in boundaries – 21×4; 7×6) against Australia during his knock of 175.
- The score of 183* equalled Ganguly's innings during the 1999 Cricket World Cup as the highest individual score against Sri Lanka.
- Among Indian batsmen who have played more than 50 matches, Dhoni has the highest average.[90] Dhoni's batting average is also the highest amongst wicketkeepers in ODIs.
- In June 2007, Dhoni(139*) and Mahela Jayawardene(107)[91] set a new world record for the sixth wicket partnership of 218 runs against Africa XI during the Afro-Asia Cup.[92]
- Dhoni passed Shaun Pollock's record for the highest individual score by a number seven batsman in one-day internationals during his unbeaten innings of 139.[93] Incidentally, Pollock record stood for just three days as his score of 130 came in the first match of the 2007 Afro-Asia Cup while Dhoni's century came in the third and final match of the series.
- Dhoni also holds the records of the most dismissals in an innings by an Indian wicketkeeper and joint International (with Adam Gilchrist) with 6 dismissals (5 catches and one stumping) against England at Headlingly 2 September 2007.
- Dhoni holds the Indian record of most dismissals in ODIs. He went past Nayan Mongia's 154 for India on 14 November 2008 when he caught Ian Bell off Zaheer Khan at Madhavrao Scindia Cricket Ground, Rajkot. However including 3 ODIs against Africa XI, his 155th dismissal was TM Dilshan caught off Munaf Patel at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on 24 August 2008.
- Dhoni, when he was on four during his innings of 23 against Sri Lanka at R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo on Saturday, completed 4,000 runs in ODIs. Having already effected 165 dismissals (125 catches + 40 stumpings), Dhoni became the sixth wicketkeeper after Adam Gilchrist, Andy Flower, Alec Stewart, Mark Boucher and Kumar Sangakkara to complete the "double" of 4,000 runs and 100 dismissals in the history of ODIs. Dhoni’s feat of completing the "double" of 4,000 runs and 100 dismissals in only 114 innings is a world record. He is the youngest wicket-keeper batsman to do so (27 years and 208 days).
- Dhoni is the only captain in the ODIs to score a century while batting at number 7. He did it against Pakistan in December 2012.
Record in international cricket
| Dhoni's results in international matches | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matches | Won | Lost | Drawn | Tied | No result | |
| Test[94][95] | 77 | 33 | 18 | 26 | 0 | – |
| ODI[96] | 208 | 116 | 78 | - | 2 | 12 |
| T20I[97] | 31 | 14 | 15 | – | 1 | 1 |
Man of the Series Awards:
| S No | Series (Opponents) | Season | Series Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sri Lanka in  India ODI Series | 2005/06 | 346 Runs (7 Matches & 5 Innings, 1×100, 1×50); 6 Catches & 3 Stumpings |
| 2 | India in Bangladesh ODI Series | 2007 | 127 Runs (2 Matches & 2 Innings, 1×50); 1 Catches & 2 Stumpings[98] |
| 3 | India in Sri Lanka ODI Series | 2008 | 193 Runs (5 Matches & 5 Innings, 2×50); 3 Catches & 1 Stumping |
| 4 | India in  West Indies ODI Series | 2009 | 182 Runs (4 Matches & 3 Innings with an average of 91); 4 Catches & 1 Stumping |
| 5 | India in  England ODI Series | 2011 | 236 Runs (5 Matches & 5 Innings with an average of 78.66, 3×50) |
| 6 | England in India ODI Series | 2011 | 212 Runs (5 Matches & 4 Innings with out been dismissed even once in the series, 2×50) |
Man of the Match Awards:
| S No | Opponent | Venue | Season | Match Performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan | Vishakapatnam | 2004/05 | 148 (123b, 15×4, 4×6); 2 Catches |
| 2 | Sri Lanka | Jaipur | 2005/06 | 183* (145b, 15×4, 10×6); 1 Catch |
| 3 | Pakistan | Lahore | 2005/06 | 72 (46b, 12×4); 3 Catches |
| 4 | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 2007 | 91* (106b, 7×4); 1 Stumping |
| 5 | Africa XI[91] | Chennai | 2007 | 139* (97b, 15×4, 5×6); 3 Stumpings |
| 6 | Australia | Chandigarh | 2007 | 50* ( 35b, 5×4 1×6); 2 Stumpings |
| 7 | Pakistan | Guwahati | 2007 | 63, 1 Stumping |
| 8 | Sri Lanka | Karachi | 2008 | 67, 2 Catches |
| 9 | Sri Lanka | Colombo (RPS) | 2008 | 76, 2 Catches |
| 10 |  New Zealand | McLean Park, Napier | 2009 | 84*, 1 Catch & 1 Stumping |
| 11 | West Indies | Beausejour Stadium, St. Lucia | 2009 | 46*, 2 Catches & 1 Stumping |
| 12 | Australia | Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur | 2009 | 124, 1 Catches, 1 Stumping & 1 Runout |
| 13 | Bangladesh | Mirpur | 2010 | 101* (107b, 9×4) |
| 14 | Sri Lanka | Wankhede Stadium | 2011 | 91* |
| 15 | England | Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium | 2011 | 87*, 1 Catch & 1 Stumping |
| 16 | Pakistan | Chennai | 2012 | 113* |
| 17 | Pakistan | Feroz Shah Kotla | 2013 | 36, 1 Catch & 1 Stumping |
| 18 | Sri Lanka | Port of Spain | 2013 | 45*, 1 Catch & 3 Stumpings |
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