MS Dhoni Total Centuries: A Complete Breakdown of His Career Hundreds

Mahendra Singh Dhoni, fondly called “Captain Cool,” is one of the most celebrated cricketers in the history of world cricket. Known for his sharp cricketing brain, lightning-fast wicket-keeping skills, and calm finishing abilities, Dhoni’s career is filled with countless memorable innings. While he is often remembered for his six-hitting ability and match-winning knocks, many fans are curious about MS Dhoni’s total centuries across formats. In this comprehensive article, we will explore Dhoni’s hundreds in Test cricket, One-Day Internationals (ODIs), and T20s, along with detailed statistics, match contexts, and records.

MS Dhoni Total Centuries in International Cricket

Unlike many batting greats who piled up centuries in bulk, Dhoni’s role was more of a finisher and leader. Still, he managed to score some iconic hundreds. Across his international career, MS Dhoni scored 16 international centuries – 10 in ODIs and 6 in Test cricket. He never scored a century in T20 Internationals.

Format	Centuries	Highest Score	Venue of Highest Score
Test	6	224	Chennai vs Australia
ODI	10	183*	Jaipur vs Sri Lanka
T20I	0	56	Bengaluru vs England
Total	16	224 (Tests)	—

This brings Dhoni’s total centuries in all formats to 16.

MS Dhoni ODI Centuries

Dhoni was one of the finest ODI players in the world. He scored 10 ODI centuries in his career, many of them in pressure situations. His highest score in ODIs is 183* against Sri Lanka in Jaipur (2005), which remains the highest score by a wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs.

List of Dhoni’s ODI Centuries

Runs	Opponent	Venue	Year	Result
148	Pakistan	Visakhapatnam	2005	India won
183*	Sri Lanka	Jaipur	2005	India won
139*	Africa XI	Chennai (Afro-Asia Cup)	2007	Africa XI lost
109	Hong Kong	Karachi	2008	India won
124	Australia	Nagpur	2009	India won
107*	Sri Lanka	Nagpur	2009	India won
101*	Bangladesh	Mirpur	2010	India won
113*	Pakistan	Chennai	2012	India lost
139*	Africa XI	Ahmedabad (Afro-Asia Cup)	2007	India won
134	England	Cuttack	2017 (warm-up/charity)	No Result

(Note: Only official ODI centuries are counted in ICC-recognized matches – Dhoni’s 10 official ODI tons stand in records.)

MS Dhoni Test Centuries

Dhoni scored 6 Test centuries during his career, with his best being a mammoth 224 against Australia in Chennai (2013). That innings is regarded as one of the finest by an Indian wicketkeeper.

List of Dhoni’s Test Centuries

Runs	Opponent	Venue	Year	Result
148	Pakistan	Faisalabad	2006	Draw
110	Sri Lanka	Ahmedabad	2009	Draw
132*	South Africa	Kolkata	2010	India won
144	West Indies	Kolkata	2011	India won
224	Australia	Chennai	2013	India won
100*	West Indies	Mumbai	2013	India won

His centuries often came at crucial times, turning the game in India’s favor.

Dhoni Overseas Century

MS Dhoni was not known for scoring a lot of overseas centuries, but one of his most memorable knocks was 148 against Pakistan in Faisalabad (2006). That innings on foreign soil established him as a reliable batsman in the Indian team.

MS Dhoni T20 International Centuries

Dhoni never scored a T20 International century. His highest score in T20Is was 56 against England in Bengaluru (2017). As a finisher, Dhoni mostly played short impactful innings rather than long hundreds in the T20 format.

Dhoni Century Highlights

• Highest ODI Score: 183* vs Sri Lanka (Jaipur, 2005).
• Highest Test Score: 224 vs Australia (Chennai, 2013).
• First International Century: 148 vs Pakistan (Visakhapatnam, 2005, ODI).
• Last International Century: 134 vs England (Cuttack, 2017, ODI warm-up).
• Total International Centuries: 16 (10 ODIs + 6 Tests).

Dhoni Centuries by Format

• Dhoni ODI Centuries: 10
• Dhoni Test Centuries: 6
• Dhoni T20I Centuries: 0
• MS Dhoni Total Centuries in All Formats: 16

Why Dhoni’s Century Count Is Lower Than Other Legends

While fans often compare Dhoni’s centuries with players like Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, or Ricky Ponting, it’s important to understand his role:

1. Batting Position – Dhoni usually batted at No. 5, 6, or 7, which gave him fewer opportunities to play long innings.
2. Finisher’s Role – His main responsibility was to remain till the end and guide India to victory, often requiring aggressive 50s rather than 100s.
3. Wicketkeeping Burden – As a full-time wicketkeeper, balancing batting and keeping was challenging.
4. Captaincy Pressure – Leading India across formats also limited his focus on personal milestones.

Despite fewer centuries, Dhoni is remembered as one of the greatest match-winners in cricket.

Interesting Facts About Dhoni’s Centuries

• Dhoni has more not-outs in his centuries compared to many top-order batsmen.
• His 183 against Sri Lanka* is still the highest score by a wicketkeeper-batsman in ODIs.
• Dhoni never scored a century in ICC World Cup matches, though he played several match-winning knocks.
• His 224 vs Australia is the highest Test score by an Indian wicketkeeper.
• Out of his 16 international centuries, more than half came in winning causes for India.

FAQs on MS Dhoni Centuries

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Conclusion

MS Dhoni may not have a massive number of centuries compared to modern-day batting giants, but the quality and impact of his hundreds make them special. From his explosive 183* against Sri Lanka to his match-defining 224 in Tests, every century of Dhoni has left a lasting impact on Indian cricket. His role as a finisher meant fewer personal milestones but greater contributions to team success. Ultimately, Dhoni’s legacy is defined not just by his centuries but by his unmatched leadership, calmness under pressure, and the trophies he delivered for India.

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In summary:

• MS Dhoni total centuries = 16 (10 ODI + 6 Test).
• No T20I centuries.
• Highest ODI score: 183* vs Sri Lanka.
• Highest Test score: 224 vs Australia.
• Remembered as a match-winner and legendary captain rather than a century accumulator.