What's the Story Behind MS Dhoni's Century Drought Overseas in International Cricket?

(MS Dhoni celebrating after scoring a century against Pakistan)

With a career of almost 550 matches and having scored more than 17000 runs, MS Dhoni was one of the most integral parts of Indian cricket during his tenure and was the player who used to bail out the Indian team from difficult situations. He was the man who got India 3 ICC Titles under his captaincy and under his guidance, players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma got their careers started. Under Dhoni's guidance, these players blossomed into cricketing superstars, further solidifying his legacy as a leader and mentor. Dhoni's impact extended beyond the cricket field, earning him adoration and respect from fans worldwide. However, despite having achieved so much, the fact that MS Dhoni never scored a century outside Asia remains a mysterious thing for all the cricket fans out there.

MS Dhoni’s 16 International Centuries

The year was 2005 when MS Dhoni was given a chance in the International circuit to show his skill and make sure India had a wicket-keeper who could contribute well to the team. However, the first few matches of his career were not well according to his standards and hence he failed to make an impact there. But it was 5th April 2005, when India was playing Pakistan in an ODI series and he got 148 runs in just 123 balls to take the team to victory. Being promoted to the number 3 position, it helped MS Dhoni to elevate himself up the order and get maximum balls to have an impact.

Century Number	Runs scored	Opponent	Result	Date	Venue
1	148	Pakistan	Won	5th April, 2005	Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam
2	183*	Sri Lanka	Won	31st October, 2005	Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
3	139*	ACA Africa XI	Won	10th June, 2007	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
4	109*	Hong Kong	Won	25th June, 2008	National Stadium, Karachi
5	124	Australia	Won	28th October, 2009	Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur
6	107	Sri Lanka	Lost	18th December, 2009	Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur
7	101*	Bangladesh	Won	7th January, 2010	Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka
8	113*	Pakistan	Lost	30th December, 2012	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
9	139*	Australia	Lost	19th October, 2013	PCA Stadium, Mohali
10	134	England	Won	19th January, 2017	Barabati Stadium, Cuttack

(MS Dhoni’s centuries in the ODI format)

In the ODI Career, MS Dhoni had a total of 10 centuries and these centuries were scored when the team was in desperate need of someone to step up. The 2nd century against Sri Lanka at Jaipur gave him his highest score of the ODI career and the century helped the Indian team to get a win. After waiting for 2 years, he registered his third century at the Chennai stadium against the ACA Africa XI and allowed the team to win another match. His 4th century of the career came against Hong Kong at the National Stadium, Karachi and it was his first century that came outside Indian shores.

(MS Dhoni celebrating his first ODI century)

After that, the 5th century against Australia was at Nagpur and his century came at a tough time which helped the team to secure a win. But his 6th century in the ODI career was recorded in a loss against Sri Lanka, the side failed to make an impact. In 2010, MS Dhoni led India to a thrilling victory against Bangladesh at the Shere Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka. Dhoni's exceptional batting skills were on full display as he scored an unbeaten 101 runs, guiding India to victory.

The final 3 ODI centuries of his career were all scored in the Indian conditions but the innings against Pakistan where he took the team out of trouble from 29-5 remains his most crucial innings of all time for the team. Overall, MS Dhoni failed to achieve an overseas test century in the ODI format. However, in overseas conditions, his ODI record has been brilliant and averages 48.65 in those conditions.

Century Number	Runs scored	Opponent	Result	Date	Venue
1	148	Pakistan	Drawn	21st January, 2006	Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad
2	110	Sri Lanka	Drawn	16th November, 2009	Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
3	100*	Sri Lanka	Won	2nd December, 2009	Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
4	132*	South Africa	Won	14th February, 2010	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
5	144	West Indies	Won	14th November, 2011	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
6	224	Australia	Won	24th February 2013	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai

(MS Dhoni’s centuries in the Test format)

Talking about the Test format, MS Dhoni registered his first Test century in Pakistan while playing against them in the test series. He registered a score of 148 and helped the Indian team to draw the 2nd match of the series. After that, he had to wait for 3 years to score another test century as it was against Sri Lanka at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad which also resulted in a drawn match for the team. The next 4 centuries scored by MS Dhoni came at the Indian turfs and helped the team to secure a win against opponents like South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Moreover, his highest test score in the test format was against Australia when he got 224 runs in the 1st test match of the series.

MS Dhoni’s nervous 90s in overseas conditions

MS Dhoni, known for his calm demeanour, faced a unique challenge when batting in overseas conditions during the nervous 90s. Despite his celebrated career, Dhoni's journey through the 90s away from home was often marked by tension. As one of Indian cricket's iconic figures, Dhoni's struggle to surpass the 90-run mark in overseas matches added an intriguing twist to his story. There have 3 instances where MS Dhoni was dismissed in the nervous 90s overseas and hence missed what could have been his first ton in the away conditions.

(MS Dhoni was run out on 99 vs England)

1. 95 vs West Indies in Kingston, 2009

During the second ODI between India and West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica, India faced a tough situation. They were struggling at 7/3 and then 82/8. But then, MS Dhoni, the captain, stepped up. He batted with the lower order, especially RP Singh, and together they added 101 runs. Dhoni showed why he was considered one of the best at batting with the tail. He scored 95 runs off 130 balls, guiding India's innings. Even though India was bowled out for 188, Dhoni's brave effort saved them from total embarrassment. Although India lost the match, they went on to win the series 2-1, showing their determination to fight back.

2. 92 vs England in Oval, 2007

In the third match of the series, Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored an impressive 92 runs. He was dismissed by Kevin Pietersen's part-time spin after hitting two big sixes and trying for a third. Dhoni's aggressive batting showcased his skill in taking on the bowling attack. Though he fell short of a century, his contribution was vital in India's total. Dhoni's fearless approach added excitement to the game, thrilling fans. His innings highlighted his importance as a key player for the Indian team.

(MS Dhoni during his innings of 92 against England)

3. 90 vs South Africa in Centurion, 2010

India toured South Africa for a Test series in 2010-11 where they struggled in the opener at Centurion. Their batting collapsed for 136 runs in the first innings, and South Africa dominated with 620/4 in the second innings. In the face of adversity, MS Dhoni displayed remarkable resilience. Joining the crease at 277/6 in the second innings, Dhoni, along with Sachin Tendulkar, fought back bravely. Dhoni aggressively scored 90 runs off 106 balls before being dismissed by Dale Steyn.

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