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'Aye Aye captain' - Five great Indian test wins under MS Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni retired from test cricket following India's 2-0 loss in the 2014 Border- Gavaskar test series.

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MS Dhoni has retired as India's test skipper post defeat in the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
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As the third test match between India and Australia at Melbourne petered out to a draw, MS Dhoni jaunted back to the pavillion, very well aware of the harsh fact that his side had lost yet another overseas series under his wardship.

With the Indian dressing room cutting a forlorn figure, after they failed to cross 'Mission OZ' yet again, Dhoni may well have pondered that out of his 27 test wins as skipper, India have won only a mere six overseas.

The facts speak for themselves as apart from that ground-breaking series win in New Zealand in 2008-09, India under Dhoni have failed miserably when it came to winning test matches abroad.

So putting aside Dhoni's overseas woes, here are five memorable test matches which have underlined Dhoni's canny leadership abilities.


Kanpur test vs South Africa - 2008

Graeme Smith's South Africa had blown India away in the second test at Ahmedabad, and with Dale Steyn, Makhaya Ntini and Morne Morkel firing on all cylinders, the stage seemed set for another bashing at the crumbling Green Park pitch.

As Day 3 unfolded, South Africa came out to bat, trying to cut down India's slender 60-run first innings lead.

With the pitch resembling a dust-bowl, South Africa were to face a spin explosion on a minefield track, which would later shatter them to pieces.


South Africa were blown away at a turning Kanpur track (getty images)

 

Smith's men failed miserably to tackle sharp turning deliveries, which jutted this way and other, and collapsed in a heap.

Harbhajan Singh and Virender Sehwag picked up seven wickets amongst them, with South Africa's batsmen hopping around like cats on a hot tin roof.

With the last wicket of Ntini falling, South Africa were shot out for a paltry 121, thus laying the path for India to wrap up a comfortable win.

So as Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly steered India past the finishing line in the second essay, India had just achieved a memorable win, with Dhoni banding together a beleagured bunch!

 

Hamilton test vs New Zealand - 2010

The crowning glory for Dhoni came in this test match when India beat the Kiwis in their own den, which later paved way for a historic 1-0 series win.

If India's pace-attack led by Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel, managed to restrict New Zealand to 279 in the first innings, Sachin Tendulkar's masterful 160 allowed India to rack up a mammoth 520, thus putting one hand on the victory knob.


The Hamilton win was India and Dhoni's crowning glory! (getty images)

 

Amazingly it was Harbhajan Singh who played hero in the second innings, as his six-wicket haul on a pace-friendly track, skittled out New Zealand for ironically 279 once again, thus leaving India on the cusp of glory.

And achieve they did as Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid knocked off the customary 39-run target in super quick time, which meant Dhoni had just achieved the unthinkable of winning a test (and later the series as well!) in Kiwiland!


Kolkata test vs South Africa - 2010

South Africa came calling once again, and the 2008 script was repeated this time around too, as Smith's side clinched a six-run humdinger at Nagpur, which meant the Kolkata test was a do-or-die effort for Dhoni.

Centuries from Alviro Petersen and Hashim Amla had taken South Africa to 296 in the first innings, and as the Proteas walked in to have go at the Indian batting on Day 2, little did they know that they were about to be swept away by an Indian batting attack!

Steyn, Morkel and Wayne Parnell were ripped apart by India's batsmen, who conjured up four centuries in a gargantuan score of 643.


Harbhajan Singh wrecked South Africa at Kolkata (getty images)

 

If Virender Sehwag blasted them with a stupendous 165, then Tendulkar's 106 and VVS Laxman's 143 piled up more agony on the Proteas.

The icing on the cake was when Dhoni went on to score a magnificent 132, thus allowing India to declare and give South Africa a formidable run-chase of 347.

Despite Hashim Amla's warrior-like 123, South Africa were undone by Harbhajan once again, as the spinner picked up a five-wicket haul, which meant that the Proteas crashed to an agonizing 57-run defeat.

Dhoni recreated the Kanpur magic once more, as Harbhajan and a turning track proved to be South Africa's nemesis, which allowed India to register another fine win over Smith's side.


Durban test vs South Africa - 2010


Both sides locked horns, this time in Durban, as India looked to end their hoodoo in the Rainbow Nation for good.

After Steyn's six-wicket haul had ripped the heart out of the Indian batting, as they collapsed to 205 on a pacy track, Zaheer and Harbhajan repaid the compliment, as seven wickets amongst them ensured that South Africa were skittled out for a cheap 131.

The match was tipped to an edgy finish when Laxman's 96 took India to 228 in the second innings, thus giving South Africa a tricky 302-run target.


India shrugged off their South African hoodoo at Durban (getty images)

 

With two full days to bat on for, a draw was very well out of the question as South Africa tried to go for the jugular and hunt down the total.

And they failed badly as Sreesanth and Zaheer combined to bundle them out for 215, meaning India had barnstormed to a famous 87-run win, thus leveling the series 1-1.

The win was made even more sweeter by the fact that India had managed to tame a world class South African side in their own den, thus bringing to fore Dhoni's tactical acumen once again.


Lords test vs England - 2014


Though India had a harrowing time in this particular series, which they eventually lost 3-1, the Lord's test was the only bright light in a dark English summer for Dhoni.

Bhuvaneshwar Kumar's six-wicket haul in the first essay, whereas Ishant's seven in the second were the highlights of India's 95-run win.

England were all-out for 223 in their chase of 318, and the Indian batsmen sparkled, particularly Ajinkya Rahane with his 103 in the first innings and Murali Vijay with a timely 95 in the second.


The Lord's win was the sole bright spot in a dismal English sojourn for Dhoni (getty images)

 

Despite India failing miserably in the remainder of the series, Dhoni proved that he could then and now pull out a rabbit out of his hat, and once again left his critics dumbfounded.

England were truly overwhelmed by an all-round Indian performance and the win proved that India could deliver the goods, when it came to hostile bowling conditions, and helped shed off their sub-continental giants tag.


With Virat Kohli taking up the captaincy mantle in the fourth test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Sydney, Dhoni despite a trickle of overseas test wins, has done enough to ensure that he has established his name amongst India's finest test captains.

So as Dhoni exits with a string of victories to his credit, which has propeled India as a recent test giant, he can very well reflect back fondly on a leagcy well created!

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