MS Dhoni's Bradmanesque numbers in Asia Cup
MS Dhoni, the former India skipper, is the Bradman in the Asia Cup. He is the most dangerous batsman who will be a threat to all the bowlers in this tournament. The way he plays in this tournament is phenomenal and all the Asian teams want to have Dhoni in their side.
We all know that Dhoni is a legend who has proved himself in every condition but in the Asia Cup, he is the God of Cricket. India had won the Asia Cup in 2016 under the captaincy of Dhoni. Let's analyse why he is the Bradman in the Asia Cup.
Batting Average Of Dhoni:
In the Asia Cup, the batting average of Dhoni is 102 in 18 matches. Dhoni plays the role of a finisher and it is next to impossible to maintain an average of 102 when you have to hit the boundaries from the very first ball.
The batting average of Dhoni also depicts that he has been successfully chasing the target for his team. No player who is playing in the Asia Cup has the batting average greater than that of Dhoni. His presence in the national team is a great disadvantage for all the teams.
Batting Average of Donald Bradman:
The batting average of Bradman is 99.94 which is less than the batting average of Dhoni in Asia Cup. It is quite difficult to maintain an average of 99.94 in your cricketing career and no player would be able to break this record of Bradman.
In Asia Cup, Dhoni has the batting average of 102 which is more than the batting average of Bradman.
Strike Rate:
In the recent years, Dhoni has not been able to maintain a good strike rate but he silenced everyone with his stunning performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL). But, in England, he dismayed everyone with his performance and even booed by the spectators for his slow strike rate.
Dhoni will be eagerly waiting to showcase his hitting ability in the Asia Cup where the conditions are ideal for him. Dhoni has a strike rate of 213.21 in his last seven innings in Asia Cup. In this tournament, he can prove his hitting abilities and silence his criticisers.
Unbeaten in last seven innings:
Dhoni has not been dismissed in his last seven innings and this record of his vividly depicts that he successfully finished the game for the Indian side. The 2011 World Cup winning captain would be smashing all the bowlers without getting dismissed.
Dhoni is the trump card of the Indian team in the absence of Virat Kohli and he has to play a pivotal role for the team in this tournament.
Undoubtedly, Dhoni's presence in this tournament is a boon for the Indian side and a nightmare for the other teams. He is not only a successful batsman in this tournament but also an experienced and successful captain.
Dhoni will have to prove himself in this tournament to silence everyone who is advocating for Rishabh Pant and if he fails to continue his legacy in the Asia Cup then his place in the team will be questioned which will ultimately build pressure on him.
Let's hope that Dhoni would play his natural game and play the key role in defending the title.