Mohammad Kaif recollects MS Dhoni's spectacular 148 at Vizag

Mahendra Singh Dhoni is one of the finest cricketers to have represented India at the highest level. He was known for his sensational batting during his prime. Even though Dhoni's international career had got off to a disastrous start when he was run out off the very first ball that he had faced against Bangladesh in December 2004, it was almost four months later i.e. in April 2005 that he had announced his arrival at the highest level when he had scored his maiden international ton against arch-rivals Pakistan. Meanwhile, his ex-team-mate Mohammad Kaif said what he felt after he had watched that stellar innings of the then-budding talent.

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'One for the long haul': Mohammad Kaif 

During a recent interview with a daily publication, Kaif went on to say that he had watched that innings very closely and realised that Dhoni is one for the long haul. He further added it was hard to believe that someone could play that sort of an innings so early in his career and made it clear that the ball is one thing and tearing the ball apart by brute force is another. 

The veteran middle-order batsman then went on to add that the 2011 World Cup-winning skipper was just butchering the Pakistani attack apart and that he had not seen anyone batting like that till that time. Furthermore, the ex-world-class fielder also went on to add that promoting Mahi at number three turned out to be a good move. 

It so happened that prior to that contest, the then Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly had told MSD that not only will he be playing in that One Day match, but will also be batting at number three.

READ: Mohammad Kaif Says MS Dhoni Should Not Be Sidelined In A Hurry As There Is No Replacement

MS Dhoni's 148 helps India take a 2-0 lead

After winning the toss and electing to bat first at Vizag, India posted a mammoth 356/9 in their 50 overs riding on Dhoni's 123-ball 148 at a strike rate of 120.32 including 15 boundaries and four maximums.  In reply, even though Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Yousuf scored 88 and 71 respectively, it just was not enough as the visitors could only manage 298 as the Men In Blue registered a 58-run win to take a 2-0 lead in the six-match series.