In 350 matches for India between 2004 and 2019, the total number of runs of MS (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni in ODIs was 10,773. That is enough to earn him 12th on the all-time list, ahead of West Indian legends like Chris Gayle and Brian Lara. It should be noted that Dhoni was much more than just a run scorer. He was also responsible for 444 dismissals as a wicketkeeper (only Kumar Sangakkara and Adam Gilchrist took more in ODIs).
He was also India captain for 200 of those ODIs (the most by any Indian), winning 110 of them, and finishing with a winning percentage of 55.0. And as captain, he scored 6,641 at an average of 53.56. Only Australia’s Ricky Ponting scored more as skipper of their national side. Dhoni is also the only captain to have won all three major ICC limited overs trophies as captain, and established a reputation as one of the best finishers ever.
MS Dhoni’s Total Runs in ODI: A Statistical Overview
Dhoni’s ODI statistics
| Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Highest | 100s | 50s |
| 50.57 | 297 | 10,773 | 50.57 | 87.56 | 183 not out | 10 | 73 |
The runs in themselves, though do not tell the whole story, given where Dhoni normally batted in the India team. 4,024 of those came batting at number six. No other player has scored so many batting that far down the order. And he is also the only player in ODI history to have scored two centuries batting at number seven. In addition, it was his ability as a finisher that makes him unique because it is just not the number of runs scored that counts in limited overs’ cricket, but the context in which they are scored.
It also does not take account of the fact that Dhoni combined his role as a batter with that of keeping wicket, and he is third on the all-time list when it comes to ODI dismissals. Nor the fact that he was captain for a majority of his ODI career, and finished with a winning percentage of 55.0.
Comparison with some other ODI stars
| Name | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Highest | 100s | 50s |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 463 | 452 | 18.426 | 44.83 | 86.23 | 200 not out | 49 | 96 |
| Kumar Sangakarra | 404 | 380 | 14,234 | 41.98 | 78.86 | 169 | 25 | 93 |
| Virat Kohli | 302 | 290 | 14,181 | 57.88 | 93.34 | 183 | 51 | 74 |
| Ricky Ponting | 375 | 365 | 13,704 | 42.03 | 80.39 | 164 | 30 | 82 |
| Mahela Jayawardene | 445 | 433 | 13,430 | 32.36 | 91.20 | 189 | 28 | 68 |
Dhoni’s statistics stand up to comparison with many of the other great ODI players. Only Kohli has a better average and only he and the Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene have a better ODI strike rate.
In addition, all of the names on this list either featured as opening batters or came in the top of the order. By the time that Dhoni often came into bat, there was not often enough time for him to compile a big innings, and that is evidenced by the fact that he finished not on 84 occasions in ODIs. That is far more than any other player in the history of the format.
Dhoni’s Role as a Finisher
Although Dhoni first rose to prominence as a flamboyant number three batter in the Indian ODI side, his moved down the order was designed to give some stability to the team, and he would mainly bat at either number six or seven for the rest of his career. And it was also there that he developed his reputation as one of the best finishers that the game has seen, with an almost unique ability to judge a run chase to perfection in high-pressure situations.
Arguably, there was no better example of this than in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Chasing 275 to win, Dhoni came to the crease with India in some trouble, following the dismissal of Virat Kohli left the home side 114/3.
Dhoni had not scored many runs in the tournament to that stage, and his decision to promote himself ahead of an in-form Yuvraj Singh was bold in the circumstances. But Dhoni took the attack to the Sri Lankan bowlers, scored his first half century of the World Cup, and shared a fourth wicket stand of 109 with Gautam Gambhir. Although Gambhir was out for 97, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh kept India on track, and Dhoni, who finished unbeaten on 91, sealed the victory with a six over the long-on boundary.
Dhoni and Yuvraj had also demonstrated their ability to guide India to victory when the odds were against them five years earlier in Lahore. Chasing 289 to win, India needed 90 off the last 15 overs.
There was no sense of panic, though. Dhoni smashed an unbeaten 72 which included 13 boundaries which helped seal the win for his side.
MS Dhoni’s Key Innings: Defining Moments in His ODI Career
His best ODI innings
Whilst his knock in the 2011 World Cup final will remain a career highlight, and gave India their first World Cup since 1983, Dhoni also played a number of major innings in ODIs. They include the following.
148 versus Pakistan 2005
His first ODI century came in 2005 in the second ODI of a series against Pakistan, with Visakhapatnam the venue.
Coming in at number three, soon after Sachin Tendulkar had been dismissed cheaply, he went on to share a partnership of 96 for the second wicket with Virender Sehwag, who dominated it before he too was out for 74. Dhoni then stepped up the momentum and would go on to make 148 off 123 balls, with his innings featuring four sixes and 15 fours. He helped his side post 356/9 from their 50 overs, and they eventually won by 58 runs.
183 not out versus Sri Lanka 2005
That same year he scored his highest ever ODI score against Sri Lanka in Jaipur.
Sri Lanka had batted first and finished on 298/4 with Kumar Sangakkara making an unbeaten 138. But any hopes they had of that being a winning score were ended by Dhoni, again batting at number three. He made an unbeaten 183 off just 145 balls and smashed 10 sixes and 15 fours. India reached their target with six wickets in hand, and with almost four overs still to be bowled.
It remains the highest score by a wicketkeeper in an ODI.
124 not out versus Australia 2009
By 2009, Dhoni had begun to drift down the batting order, and came in at number five in an ODI against Australia in Nagpur. At 97/3 in their innings, India were in a little difficulty when Dhoni arrived at the crease. However, Dhoni would go on to make 124, off 107 balls, and share a fourth wicket stand of 142 with Suresh Raina. Dhoni did not just deal in boundaries – his running between the wickets also kept the scoreboard ticking over and helped disrupt the rhythm of the Australian bowlers.
139 not out versus Australia 2013
Not every innings he played helped his side win. There were also instances where it was in a losing cause, despite his best efforts. One such example was in Mohali in 2013 against Australia. India, put into bat, were four down, but Dhoni steadied the innings with Kohli, and, after the latter was out, went on the attack and helped to score a competitive total, making an unbeaten 139 off just 121 balls. On that occasion, it was Australia who expertly judged their run chase, reaching their target with three balls to spare.
45 not out versus Sri Lanka 2013
There were no better examples of Dhoni as a finisher than the final of a Tri-Nation series in 2013, which also featured the home nation, the West Indies. Set 202 to win by Sri Lanka, India needed 15 to win off the last over. Dhoni kept his nerve, however, and saw his side home with two balls of the match still to be bowled. Although he only faced 52 balls, his 45 not out proved to be a match winning innings.
MS Dhoni’s Impact in ICC Tournaments
Apart from that World Cup success in 2011, Dhoni also played a key role in the team that won the Champions Trophy in 2013. In 8 innings he scored 183 runs at an average of 22.87 and a strike rate of 84.33. Included in that total were two half centuries and a best of 63.
In addition, Dhoni also led India to Asia Cup success in 2010, 2016 and 2018, although he was no longer captain for the latter tournament.
MS Dhoni’s Batting Style: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Evolution
Dhoni is a right-handed batter, although his technique is unorthodox and will not feature in any coaching manual. In his prime, he was known for his tendency to hit sixes, with full length deliveries often dispatched towards the long-on and long-off areas, or in the midwicket area.
And that deviation from established technique also meant that he was difficult to bowl at sometimes.
He was never afraid to take on short-pitched bowling either and would deploy the hook or the pull shot often as a means of upsetting the line and length of a bowler. He was also known for his speed and running between the wickets, and was always looking to pinch a quick single.
As he got older, and played more franchise cricket, elements of the T20 game began to seep into his ODI batting, with ramp shots and reverse sweeps becoming an element of his repertoire. Part of his evolution was the way that he managed run chases, and how he could always keep in touch with the required rate, even without reference to the scoreboard.
If there was a weakness it lay in the fact that some of the fearlessness that had characterised his batting in the early years of his career began to disappear, and he became more conservative in his approach. And, as a team player, he would often prioritise the collective good over his individual performances.
How MS Dhoni’s Runs Contributed to India’s Success
Dhoni was the ultimate big match player, and tended to leave his most importance innings as to when it mattered most. And he was never afraid to take responsibility in a run chase, leading from the front and supporting younger players around him. He always emphasised the collective over the individual, though.
Conclusion
Dhoni will be remembered not only as a highly successful Indian captain, but also for his individual contribution, both with the bat and behind the stumps. Captaining the team that won the 2011 World Cup on home soil was always enough to guarantee his legacy as an ODI player, but that match also illustrated his almost unique ability as a finisher, producing his best under the most intense pressure.
And he also served as a role model and an inspiration to later players like Kohli and Rohit Sharma, both of whom were to succeed him as Indian captain.
FAQs About MS Dhoni’s Total Runs in ODI
1. How many 50s did Dhoni score in ODIs?
Dhoni made 73 ODI fifties in his career, in addition to his ten centuries. During his spell as captain, he scored 47 half centuries, and reached three figures on six occasions.
2. How long was Dhoni no 1 ODI batsman?
MS Dhoni first became the number one ranked ODI batter in 2006, displacing the Australian Ricky Ponting. In total he would spend 836 days in the number one spot over the following years, with only Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli occupying the position for longer.
3. Who has the most runs in ODI history?
Sachin Tendulkar has scored the most ODI runs in history. Between 1989 and 2012, he played 452 innings in the format, scoring 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83 and a strike rate of 86.23. Second on the all-time list is the Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara, who managed 14,234 ODI runs in his international career.
4. What is the unique record of Dhoni?
Nobody has scored more runs than Dhoni batting at number six in ODIs. Batting in that position 125 times, he scored 4,024 runs at an average of 46.79. He also reached number one in the ODI rankings after playing just 42 matches – nobody has been able to get there as fast.
He is also the only batter in ODI history to have scored two centuries batting at number seven.
5. Who breaks Dhoni record?
Since he retired, both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have passed Dhoni’s record for runs for India in ODIs. However, all of them continue to trail Tendulkar.
