Test records
- Dhoni’s maiden century against Pakistan in Faisalabad (148) is the fastest century scored by an Indian wicket keeper. Only three centuries by two other wicket-keepers (Kamran Akmal and Adam Gilchrist – 2) were faster than Dhoni’s 93 ball century.
- Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India defeated Australia by 320 runs on 21 October 2008, biggest ever win in terms of runs for India.
- Dhoni holds the record for most catches by an Indian player in an innings. He achieved this feat by taking six catches during the first innings of the third test against New Zealand in Wellington in April 2009.
- Dhoni also equalled Syed Kirmani’s record for most dismissals in an innings by an Indian wicket-keeper. Syed Kirmani has effected 6 dismissals (5 catches and 1 stumping) against New Zealand in 1976. Dhoni now has equalled that record for most dismissals with 6 dismissals (all 6 catches) against New Zealand in 2009.
- Dhoni currently ranks No. 1 in the all-time dismissals list by Indian wicket-keepers. Dhoni has now been involved in 248 dismissals. The following is the list of top five Indian wicket-keepers, in terms of all-time dismissals in test matches: Dhoni (248 dismissals), Syed Kirmani (198 dismissals), Kiran More (130 dismissals), Nayan Mongia (107 dismissals) and Farokh Engineer (82 dismissals).
- Dhoni is the second wicketkeeper to have effected 6 dismissals in an innings apart from a fifty in each innings of a Test match. Denis Lindsay had accomplished the feat for South Africa against Australia at Johannesburg in December 1966 — 69 & 182 and 6 catches + 2 catches.
- Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India reached their highest test score of 726–9 (decl) during Sri Lanka’s tour of India in 2009. Their 2–0 victory in the series took them to the number 1 ranking in Test cricket for the first time in history.
- Under Dhoni’s captaincy, India did not lose a test match until the first test versus South Africa in Nagpur in February 2010. As a captain, he holds a record for longest unbeaten run in tests from his debut, 11 tests (8 wins and 3 draws). This record crossed former Australian captain Warwick Armstrong’s run of 10 unbeaten tests (8 wins, 2 draws) from debut. In Dhoni’s streak, however, there was a period of injury in which Virender Sehwag led the side (for 3 draws). So India’s unbeaten streak was for 14 tests, of which 11 were Dhoni’s.
- However Dhoni’s unbeaten streak of 11 Test matches ended during India’s tour of England in 2011 and England also replaced India from No. 1 spot in ICC Test team rankings.
- Dhoni shares with Nayan Mongia the record of most dismissals (8) by an Indian wicket-keeper in a Test match (as of February 2013).
- Dhoni holds the record of most dismissals (8 – 7 catches and 1 stumping) by an Indian wicket-keeper in a Test matchwhich includes at least one stumping (as of Feb 2013).
- Dhoni holds the world record for most stumpings (12) in test wins as a captain (as of February 2013)
- Dhoni’s 224 is the highest score by an Indian captain in Tests bettering Sachin Tendulkar’s 217 against New Zealand at Ahmedabad in 1999.
- Dhoni has registered the highest Test score by an Indian wicketkeeper. On 193, he beat a long-standing record of 192 held by Budhi Kunderan against England in 1964, also scored in Chennai.
- Dhoni has registered the highest score in Test history by a wicketkeeper-captain beating Englishman Alec Stewart’s 164 Vs South Africa in 1998
- Dhoni is the first Indian wicket keeper to complete 4,000 Test runs.
- Dhoni is the most successful Indian Test captain with 24 Test victories, eclipsing Sourav Ganguly’s record of 21 victories from 49 Tests.
- Dhoni has the dubious distinction of an Indian captain with most Test defeats overseas with 11 Test losses.
- After hitting a six in third test match between England and India in Southampton, Dhoni has completed 50 sixes as a captain and made a record.
