I never ever dreamt of scoring double century: Dhoni

Image
Press Trust of India Chennai
Last Updated : Feb 26 2013 | 12:35 PM IST
Mahendra Singh Dhoni was today modest in admitting that he never dreamt of playing for the country, leave aside scoring a double hundred in Test cricket ever in his career.
Dhoni smashed 224 for off 265 deliveries in India's first innings score of 572 in reply to Australia's 380 to lay the foundation for the hosts' convincing eight-wicket victory in the opening cricket Test of the four-match series here.
Questioned about his majestic double century, Dhoni replied:"I had never dreamt that I would get a double in Tests. I had never even dreamt of playing for the country. So, let's just keep it simple."
Coming onto bat on the third day of match with India at 196 for four, Dhoni produced a stunning counter-attacking knock on a difficult Chepauk pitch to notch up his maiden double ton, his sixth Test century overall.
"It was important to play some shots. If you have those extra catching fielders, you might make one mistake and end your innings. I had to play a few shots to try and spread the field. That was the motive," said Dhoni, who was also adjudjed the man-of-the-match for his stunning knock.
"But the first partnership was important. Sachin (Tendulkar) and (Cheteshwar) Pujara batted for a period of time. The partnership between Virat (Kohli) and Sachin was crucial. It tired the bowlers a bit."
The Indian skipper reserved special praise for off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who returned with a match haul of 12 for 198.
"Ashwin bowled brilliantly. He bowled in right areas and has got variations. He was consistent in this match. In the second innings, he was well supported by Bhajji (Harbhajan Singh).
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 26 2013 | 12:35 PM IST

Next Story