Last time Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed a One-Day International match due to injury or illness was some six years against Sri Lanka during 2013 Tri-Series in the West Indies. On Monday, the former Indian captain was forced to sit out of the third ODI match against New Zealand due to a "sore hamstring".
The 37-year-old has resurrected his career with some match-winning knocks in the recent engagements in Australia, and the first two matches of the ongoing series in New Zealand. For many fans, it was an unexpected news considering how the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman was back to his usual best, both with the gloves and also with the bat.
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Dhoni is known as one of the fittest players, and he had missed only five ODI matches in the last 14 years before today – three matches (2013) due to a hamstring injury and one each against Ireland and South Africa in Ireland (2007) due to viral fever.
And expected fans took to social media platforms to share their surprise. Here are some reactions:
Dhoni won the man of the series award in the three-match ODI series in Australia, his first in almost eight years. He scored three fifties (51, 55 not out and 87 not out) against the Aussies.
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Continuing his good form, Dhoni scored yet another unbeaten 48 in the second ODI against the Kiwis on Saturday. He did not get the chance to bat in the series opener but continued to show his brilliance behind the wickets, conjuring up magical stumpings.
