Stats: MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina - A match made in heaven

MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina chose India’s Independence Day to announce their respective retirements from International cricket in space of an hour. The duo, well known for their relationship on and off the field, will continue to represent the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. MS Dhoni’s career was spread between 2004 and 2019 for 15 years while Raina represented India for 13 years during the same period as Dhoni. The pair was involved in many match-winning partnerships for India down the order.

Significant stats and numbers recorded when MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina played together for India:

6 – Number of century partnerships between Dhoni and Raina for the 5th and lower wickets in ODI cricket; the most for any pair. The duo also has 15 fifty partnerships while batting together for 5th and lower wicket in this format which also being the highest for any pair.

8 – The pair of MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina have been unbeaten eight times during successful chases in ODI cricket. Only AB de Villiers-JP Duminy (11) stood unbeaten more times in successful ODI chases than Dhoni-Raina.

9 – All the nine century stands in ODI cricket between Dhoni and Raina have come while batting for the 4th and lower wicket; which are the joint-most for any pair. Dhoni also had nine 100+ stands with Yuvraj Singh in ODIs for the 4th and lower wickets.

Including the 17 fifty partnerships, the pair now has as many as 26 stands in excess of 50 runs which are also the most for 4th and lower wickets in this format.

88 – India won as many as 88 ODI matches whenever Suresh Raina was part of the playing XI under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. No Indian captain has won more ODIs while fielding a certain player than Dhoni while playing Raina. The left-handed batsman played 153 ODIs when Dhoni was the skipper out of which India lost only 55.

102.6 – The partnership average of Dhoni and Raina in successful ODI chases is the 2nd highest by a pair in Men’s cricket with 1000+ partnership runs. Only JP Duminy and AB de Villiers pair (107.54) has a better partnership average in Men’s ODIs during successful chases. The Australia Women’s pair of Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry is well ahead with as the pair averages 173.83 in successful ODI chases.

129 – Suresh Raina has been part of India’s winning XIs on 129 instances when MS Dhoni has been the Indian skipper. These are the most International wins for any captain while fielding a specific player in the XI. Overall, the 129 wins by Dhoni-Raina are the joint 5th highest for any captain while fielding a specific player in the XI.

Michael Clarke (152), Adam Gilchrist (145), Mike Hussey (132) and Matthew Hayden (131) were part of winning side in more than 130 International games; all while playing under Ricky Ponting. Brett Lee had also been part of 129 International wins while playing under Ponting.

196* – The unbeaten 196-run stand for the 5th wicket in the 2015 CWC match against Zimbabwe is the highest ODI partnership between Dhoni and Raina. It is also the 2nd highest partnership in the ODI CWC history for the 5th and lower wickets behind 256* by JP Duminy and David Miller also against Zimbabwe in 2015.

2816 – The duo of Dhoni and Raina is the only pair in ODI history to put on 2000+ runs for 5th and lower wickets. Dhoni-Raina duo added 3382 runs for the 5th and lower wickets in International cricket which are the 2nd highest behind 3667 runs by Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan.

3484 – The 3484 partnership runs by Dhoni-Raina pair for 4th and lower wickets in ODI cricket are the most for any pair. The duo has been involved in 71 ODI stands for 4th and lower wickets and have a partnership average of 57.11.