Did You Know: MS Dhoni Smashed A Double Ton In 50-Over Match At Eden Gardens As Opener

MS Dhoni had smashed 148 against Pakistan by then and become a big name in Indian cricket. Yet Dhoni appeared for a game between Shambazar Club and George Telegraph in the P Sen Trophy, a tournament a cricket fan in India might not have known. The date of June 6 of 2005. Dhoni, the new hope in Indian cricket, arrived at Eden Gardens to play for Shambazar Club with big expectations. He did not disappoint and won hearts by smashing 207 off just 126 balls, and that too as an opening batter. A report published in the English newspaper The Telegraph reveals more details from that innings.

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This knock was played 18 years ago. When Dhoni finished his innings, the whole of Eden Gardens was talking about his 148 and how that knock in Visakhapatnam may not have been a fluke. At Eden Gardens, where nine years later Rohit Sharma would stike a ODI double hundred, Dhoni hit 10 sixes to push bowlers on the back foot and record a double hundred. This was club cricket alright but Dhoni of yesteryear was some batter, who enjoyed hitting balls out of the ground. He hit them all round the park, in this innings too, with his long locks flowing and his huge back lift putting massive power on bakc of the ball.

There were the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) members also present in the stadium to watch Dhoni go about his innings and the chatter began to get Dhoni to play for Bengal, something which did not transpire.

On MS Dhoni's 42nd birthday, I found this report from 7th June 2005. It was about Dhoni hitting 207 off just 126 balls with 10 6s for Shyambazar Club against George Telegraph in the P Sen tournament at the Eden Gardens. pic.twitter.com/HbZNIHTD1o — Joy Bhattacharjya (@joybhattacharj) July 7, 2023

Dhoni was asked if he wanted to play for Bengal, to which he said he would wait for the offer to come. Unlike today, Dhoni used to speak to the press after a  match and he did speak even on that day after his blistering 207-run knock. Dhoni said that he was happy to have proven his worth for the club.

“It was a challenge of different sorts here. First, I’m playing in different conditions ? the question of adaptation, heat and other related things are there. Then, I have come here to perform? that’s what my club is expecting. So it has put some extra pressure on me. Hopefully, I have proved my worth,” Dhoni said.

Not to forget, Dhoni had opened innings in this match. Who was his opening partner? None other than Wriddhiman Saha, who had struck a good-looking 74. Dhoni and Saha had put up s staggering 274 for the first wicket in just 32.1 overs.