Dhoni Test Match Biography

Test debut: Dhoni had made his test debut on December 2, 2005 against Sri Lanka at Chennai. He scored 30 in the only innings India batted. The Test was affected by rain and there was no play for first three days. He had played 30 One-Day Internationals (ODIs) before his Test debut.

First Test century: Dhoni got to his maiden test century on January 23, 2006 against Pakistan at Faisalabad in his fifth Test. He reached his 100 off 93 balls and eventually scored 148 runs off 153 balls. Interestingly, his maiden ODI century also came against Pakistan, in his fifth match, and he scored 148.

First Test as captain: Dhoni captained for the first time in Tests against South Africa at Kanpur on April 11, 2008. He was a stand-in captain as Anil Kumble had opted out due to injury. India won by eight wickets and drew the three-match series 1-1. He remains the only wicket-keeper to lead India in Tests. He won all his first four Tests as captain. His first defeat came in his 12th test as captain — against South Africa at Nagpur in February 2010.

Captaincy:

Dhoni captained India in 60 Tests from 2008 to 2014. India won 21 tests, lost 18 and drew 15 under him. Thirty of these Tests were played in India, of which India won 21. India won six out of 30 overseas Tests under Dhoni.

Highest individual Test score by Indian captains

Dhoni scored a record 224 runs against Australia at Chennai in February 2013. In the process he broke the record for the highest individual Test score by an Indian captain overcoming Sachin Tendulkar’s 217 against New Zealand at Ahmedabad in 1999.

Wicketkeeper-captains in Tests

Dhoni is the only Indian wicketkeeper to have captained in Tests. He is one of 29 wicketkeeper-captains in Tests. However, none of the others performed the triple role of batsman, wicketkeeper, and captain for even 20 Tests where whereas Dhoni has done the same in 60 Tests.