MS Dhoni as test captain

MS Dhoni as test captain:

Dhoni captained India in tests from 2008 to 2014. Dhoni was named as the captain of the ICC World Test XI in 2009, 2010 and 2013. 

After taking up the Test captaincy in 2008, he led the team to series wins in New Zealand and the West Indies, and home series wins against Australia in 2008, 2010 and 2013. 

In 2009, Dhoni also led the Indian team to number one position for the first time in the ICC Test rankings. In 2013, under Dhoni's captaincy, India became the first team in more than 40 years to whitewash Australia in a Test series. 

He announced his retirement from Tests on 30 December 2014. He captained India in 60 tests - the most by any player in India's cricket history.

Only eleven players have captained ten or more Tests playing as a wicket-keeper. Dhoni leads the table with 60 Tests as captain.

In March 2013, Dhoni became the most successful Indian Test captain when he eclipsed Sourav Ganguly's record of 21 victories from 49 Tests. However Kohli has overtaken him since then. 

He is the only captain after Pataudi to win a test series in New Zealand.

He was only the third Indian captain to win a test series in the West Indies.

He is the only Indian captain to draw a test series in South Africa - he did this in 2010-11. India have lost all the other six test series they have played in South Africa. India came close to defeating South Africa under Dhoni in the away series in 2011 before Kallis' twin hundreds ensured that the series ended at 1-1.

However Dhoni's record in away series in England and Australia makes for dismal reading: in 2011, England beat India 4-0. Again in 2014, they beat India 3-1

These were bitter pills to swallow for Indian fans, because prior to this, India's last test series defeat in England had come in 1996. The last time India had lost 3 tests in a series in England was way back in 1974.

In Australia, India under Dhoni were beaten 0-4 in 2011-12 and 0-2 in 2014-15. Dhoni announced his retirement from tests midway through the 2014-15 series. India's two previous away test series against Australia had been very competitive - in 2003-04, the series was drawn 1-1 and in 2007-08 Australia had won a hard-fought series 2-1.

Thus, Dhoni's record in England and Australia during this period was 1-12. (In 2012, he was banned from the last test for a slow over rate, otherwise it would have been 1-13)

As a result of these four series, Dhoni's away record as test captain was shattered:

His home record in tests is 27 wins against 3 losses. His away record stands at 6 wins and 15 losses. Twelve of these fifteen defeats came in the four series against England and Australia. 

It is said that the onslaught of limited overs cricket, T20 cricket in particular, had a lot to do with these defeats. Indian batsmen forgot the art of grafting long innings in test matches. Also, when fielding, Dhoni as test captain started to use the same tactics that he used in limited overs cricket - containment of runs, rather than taking wickets. Be that as it may, these series against England and Australia cast a blight on Dhoni's otherwise illustrious career. 

Of course, Dhoni's credentials as a limited overs captain are impeccable - he remains the only captain to have won all three ICC limted overs trophies - the ODI and T20I World Cups, in addition to the Champions Trophy.In my website I write about Indian cricket news, Cricketer biopics, cricket Games tutorials,Cricket Game apps on google play store, Apple store, everything about cricket which I like mostly. If you like my website please comment and share friends support me. Google + :Technoman paresh Facebook page:Pareshajm mobile Entertainment U Tube channel:Technoman paresh My website :www.bluecricketin.com