JOIN USBack in 2004, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was a little-known wicketkeeper from Jharkhand, capable of giving the ball a thwack.
In the first four ODIs, he had managed just 22 runs inlcuding a duck in his debut against Bangladesh. But all that changed on April 5, 2005.
Included in the Indian squad for the first two of the six ODIs against Pakistan, the right-hander failed in the first of the two do-or-die matches.
Another failure in the second one-dayer at the ACA-VDCA stadium could have cost his place in the squad, but with his back against the wall, the now-Indian skipper put on a remarkable show.
He put the Pakistani bowling attack to sword with a 148 at this picturesque stadium. “I never said it was my favourite ground. It surely is one of my favourites,” said Dhoni. “I started here. This is where I began. I have some fond memories at this venue.” India’s hundred per cent win record at the four-match-old stadium is quite impressive, so is the fact that their skipper takes a particular liking to this venue.