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India vs Australia: MS Dhoni wins first Man of the Series award since 2011

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByHT Correspondent
Jan 19, 2019 08:34 AM IST

MS Dhoni eased India to a seven-wicket victory to clinch their one-day international series against Australia in Melbourne on Friday.

MS Dhoni has been at the centre of a lot of discussion in the recent past due to his failures in 2018 and the sluggish strike rate that is quite uncharacteristic for the veteran. However, he replied his critics with a brilliant knock on Friday as he guided India to a historic ODI series victory against Australia in Melbourne.

Dhoni, who was dropped twice in his innings and could have been run out too, made 87 not out as he combined with Kedar Jadhav (61 not out) to guide the tourists home with four balls remaining and complete India’s 2-1 series victory.

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READ: Dhoni, Chahal guide India to maiden bilateral series win Down Under

Dhoni scored his third half-century of the three-game series to again prove the difference after his match-winning knock in the second game in Adelaide.

The 37-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman kept his usual cool during an unbeaten 87 off 114 balls as India chased down Australia’s 230 with four balls to spare at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Dhoni was handed the Man of the Series award for his brilliant performances in the series and it was his first award of that sort in almost eight years. The last time Dhoni won a Man of the Series award was back in 2011 during the home series against England.

READ: MS Dhoni joins Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar in elite list

“It was a slow wicket, so it was a bit difficult to hit whenever you wanted to. It was important to take it to the end because some of their bowlers were on the verge of finishing their quota. No point going after the bowlers who were bowling well,” Dhoni said after the match.

“Kedar did a great job in playing unorthodox shots and it is important to hit boundaries. It is not about where you want to bat; I am happy to bat at any number and after playing for 14 years I can’t say that I don’t want to bat at number six and want to bat at four,” he added.

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