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5 biggest Indian defeats under MS Dhoni's captaincy

MS Dhoni India Cricket
Dhoni is one of the best finishers in ODI history and India's most successful captain ever

MS Dhoni may be on his final legs as a cricketer with debates fierce on his future as a T20 international but the backing he has received from the who's who of the Indian team management just shows how highly he is still rated.

As the skipper of the Indian side who led the side to glory in the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy, Dhoni's name will forever be etched in the annals of Indian cricket history as a legend of the game.

He is statistically India's most successful skipper, its greatest wicket-keeper batsman and arguably, the greatest finisher in ODI history.

His calm and composed nature on the field, even in high-pressure situations, earned plaudits from the game's observers who hailed him as one of the best readers of the game.

However, there were times when this very same nature invited criticism from various quarters who felt that the former Indian skipper was helpless in a game slipping away, especially on foreign surfaces.

Dhoni fared much better in home conditions and in the limited-overs formats while his record in away matches and the Test format left a lot to be desired.

Here we take a look at 5 of the biggest losses India suffered under Dhoni's captaincy.


#5 against New Zealand in Dambulla (ODI Tri-series, 2010 - Ind, SL, NZ)

India New Zealand Cricket
The Indian batting line-up collapsed like a pack of cards against New Zealand

India headed into the tri-series involving Sri Lanka and New Zealand on the back of a strong showing in the 3-match Test series against the hosts which saw them came back from a ten-wicket loss in the opening match to finish the series level at 1-1.

The opening match of the ODI tri-series, which also happened to mark Kane Williamson's debut for New Zealand, turned out to be a forgettable day for MS Dhoni's side as they were bundled out for just 88 runs, losing the match by 200 runs.

Batting first, New Zealand made 288 with both Ross Taylor and Scott Styris scoring 95 and 89 respectively. India got off to a good start in reply, reaching 39 before the first wicket fell.

However, the rest of the Indian batting line-up fell like a pack of cards to be bowled out within 30 overs, adding only 49 runs further. The 200-run loss was India's 4th biggest loss in terms of margin of runs.

The Indian batting collapse was surprising, to say the least, considering that it came on a surface that should have suited them more than the Black Caps who have traditionally found the going tough on sub-continent pitches.

India did recover to make the final of the tournament but not before suffering another embarrassing loss, but this time against the hosts, who got the better of them in the final as well.

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