MS Dhoni just 109 short of 10,000 runs in ODIs

If Dhoni can reach the milestone in his next two innings, he will become the fourth fastest to the mark and only the fifth batsman overall to do so.

MS Dhoni (IANS)

New Delhi: Former captain MS Dhoni scored a half-century and was the lone Indian fighting it out in the first one-day international against Sri Lanka, who, in the end, handed the hosts an embarrassing seven-wicket defeat in Dharamsala. If Dhoni continues his batting form in the next two matches, he is not just likely to keep India in the fray to win the series but may also cross the personal milestone of 10,000 runs in ODIs.

Dhoni scored a valiant 65 in Dharamsala, where four Indian batsmen were dismissed for a duck as the hosts succumbed to Suranga Lakmal's (4/13) back-breaking spell and were dismissed for just 112. 

Sri Lanka reached the target in just 20.4 overs for the loss of three wickets.

The knock, though, pushed Dhoni closer to the 10,000-run mark, which will make him only the fifth batsman to do so. However, if he can reach the milestone in his next two innings, he will become the fourth fastest to the mark. 

Sachin Tendulkar (259 innings), Sourav Ganguly (263) and Ricky Ponting (266) are the top three in the list. But Dhoni, who has so far played 267 innings in 310 ODIs, can go past South African legend Jacques Kallis if he can reach the five-figure mark in his next two innings.

Kallis completed 10,000 ODI runs in 272 innings. 

The Indian wicketkeeper has been in prolific form this year and stands No. 4 among the fellow batsmen in his team with most ODI runs in 2017. 

Dhoni's 781 runs are next only to Virat Kohli (1460), Rohit Sharma (1078) and Shikhar Dhawan (792).

He has also taken a liking to the Lankan attack of late, scoring four half-centuries in his last eight ODI innings against the islanders and has a staggering average of over 130.00.