Martin Guptill has overtaken Virat Kohli’s record of 3227 runs to become the leading run-scorer in T20 International matches. Rohit Sharma, who is third on the list after Guptill and Kohli, is 142 runs behind Kohli. Guptill started his innings with a bang by playing shots all around the ground but shortly got out in the fifth over of the match.

However, his innings of 31 runs in 15 balls ensured that he will achieve the feat in the second T20 itself. Guptill has a reputation of striking the balls from the first ball and that is how his innings started. Guptill got a life early in the match as KL Rahul dropped a tough chance running from mid-off.

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On Saturday, Dhoni, who’s future as India player is still unknown, was seen celebrating the birthday of his childhood friend Seemant Lohani at his farmhouse Kailashpati in the outskirts of the town where all his old friends had gathered to make the occasion worth remembering.

When it comes to the debate over Dhoni’s future, well, that is a puzzle which will need some solving. The former India skipper last met his team-mates at the JSCA Stadium here, when India beat South Africa for a clean sweep in the three-match Test series.

Newly-appointed BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has already made it clear that the decision to retire is Dhoni’s personal choice and that he will be having a discussion on it with the 2011 World Cup-winning captain.

India head coach Ravi Shastri has also said that Dhoni has earned the right to retire from the game when he wants to.

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India’s top-order fired in unison to bury South Africa under a mountain of runs in both the Tests, where they amassed 500 and 600 in the first innings in Visakhapatnam and Pune.

“We’ve been put under immense pressure. I don’t know if we can be put more pressure than that,” Rabada told reporters at Ranchi on Tuesday.

READ: Rabada did try to sledge, but I hardly heard anything, was in my zone: Pujara

The 24-old-year-old paceman acknowledged that not only Indian batsmen, but their bowlers also outsmarted them.

It’s been a long time when South Africa took 20 wickets in a Test match and Rabada, who is South Africa’s leading seamer, only has four wickets from two matches in this series.

“They got the ball to reverse and they bowled well as a collective. Their whole attack put pressure on us in every single aspect. Their spinners bowled well and when the ball was reversing their seamers could exploit that. We didn’t really get the ball to reverse and that’s a major weapon of ours,” he explained.

Rabada is hoping that this phase will be over soon. “It’s never nice to lose, especially in the manner we’re losing right now but we’re going through a transition period. Our team is fresh and young, so the best thing we can do is look at where we can improve and remember our strengths and build on them.”

The pacer said his team will aim to finish the Test tour on a high. The third and final Test begins in Ranchi on Saturday.

“From a physical point of view, we need to execute our skills and from a mental point of view, we need to believe we can do it in certain situations. It’s a balance we’re working on,” he said.

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Dhoni met President Kovind on Sunday at the Raj Bhavan in the state capital along with his wife Sakshi and daughter Ziva.

“MS Dhoni met me at Raj Bhavan yesterday (Sunday) as a courtesy call. I felt good. I told him he maintains a low profile but people are fond of him as he is talented,” the President said while addressing students during the 33rd convocation of the Ranchi University.

“His talent reflects the talent of Jharkhand. MS Dhoni has made Ranchi famous in the world of cricket,” he added.

READ: ‘I don’t see MS Dhoni playing the next World Cup’

President Kovind not only showered praise on Dhoni, but also praised ace archer Deepika Kumar and Jaipal Singh Munda, who had led the Indian hockey team that won gold in the 1928 Olympics.

Meanwhile, Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket in December 2014, has been on a sabbatical since the culmination of the 2019 World Cup. He played his last match for India in the semi-final against New Zealand.

Strong rumours are doing the rounds that Dhoni might have played his last international game in England and Wales. However, no announcement has been made with some informing that Captain Cool may return to the side for the home series against West Indies in December.

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Karachi: Pakistan have demanded that the ICC take note of Indian cricketers wearing camouflage military caps during the third ODI against Australia, accusing Virat Kohli team’s of politicising the game. (ALSO READ: Khawaja, Finch stand trumps Kohli 123 as Australia stay alive)

As a mark of respect to the CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the Pulawama terrorist attack, Indian cricketers sported the Army cap and also donated their match fee for the welfare of the families of the martyrs.

#TeamIndia will be sporting camouflage caps today as mark of tribute to the loss of lives in Pulwama terror attack and the armed forces

And to encourage countrymen to donate to the National Defence Fund for taking care of the education of the dependents of the martyrs #JaiHind pic.twitter.com/fvFxHG20vi

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 8, 2019

Taking an exception to the gesture, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the International Cricket Council (ICC) must do something about it. “The world saw that the Indian cricket team wore military caps instead of their own, did ICC not see this? We think that it is the ICC’s responsibility to take notice of this without the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) bringing it up,” Qureshi was quoted as saying by Pakistan media. (ALSO READ: MS Dhoni to be rested from final two ODIs, confirms Sanjay Bangar)

India had lost the match by 32 runs but still lead the five-match series 2-1. Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry echoed Qureshi’s sentiment. “It’s just not Cricket,” Chaudhry tweeted in the evening, attaching a picture which showed Indian cricketers wearing the cap.

“And if the Indian team will not be stopped, Pak cricket team should wear black bands to remind The World about Indian atrocities in Kashmir,” Chaudhry wrote.

The minister urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to lodge a formal protest against India with the sport’s world governing body. (ALSO READ: Are India over-reliant on Virat Kohli? Sanjay Bangar answers)

At least 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives in the suicide attack on February 14, the responsibility of which was taken by Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed.

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Former India player and current BCCI Committee of Administrators (CoA) member Diana Edulji presented the coin at the toss during the third ODI between India and Australia at the JSCA Stadium here on Friday, in a move aimed at celebrating International Women’s Day. (ALSO READ: Why is Indian team wearing camouflaged caps in Ranchi?)

Diana walked to the pitch with the two captains, Virat Kohli and Aaron Finch, and then handed the coin to the match referee. (IND vs AUS, 3^rd ODI: LIVE UPDATES)

Speaking to IANS, Diana said that she was honoured that the Indian board felt that she should lead this initiative on International Women’s Day, adding that the time has come for women to stand up and get counted among the best in every field.

The BCCI wishes all the women a very happy #InternationalWomensDay pic.twitter.com/4qkEkTDZCu

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 8, 2019

“I would first like to thank Indian cricket for giving me this opportunity and would also like to say that my effort to promote cricket among women in this country has only begun. I wish to see more and more girls coming out to play this game. (ALSO READ: Indian team to donate Ranchi ODI match fee to families of Pulwama terror attack martyrs)

“Also, I would like to believe that women today are shining in every field and they should continue to do so. Just to add, the Indian women’s team has done really well in recent times and on this women’s day, I want to make a wish that our girls should go and win a World Cup soon,” she said.

A senior Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) official said that it was fitting that Diana got to lead this initiative because she has been a strong leader in this journey to promote the women’s game as also ensure equality for women working in the BCCI. (READ: Milestones loom for Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni and others in Ranchi)

“It is only fitting that Diana Edulji does the token ceremony on the international women’s day with an act symbolising emancipation of women since she has worked tirelessly to not only promote the cause of women’s cricket in this country, but also rid the BCCI of the scourge of sexual harassment at work,” the official told IANS.

India have taken a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series after winning the opening game in Hyderabad and the second game in Nagpur. While the third ODI is in Ranchi, the fourth game is in Mohali and the fifth in the Capital.

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The local boy, MS Dhoni, was seen hitting some big blows. While the former India skipper scored an unbeaten 59 in the first game, he was out for a duck in Nagpur. However, what could be his final international game in his hometown, the wicketkeeper-batsman will look to score big on his homeground. @AFP

MS Dhoni and coach RavI Shastri on Thursday were seen inspecting the pitch ahead of the third ODI. India, who are leading the five-match series 2-0, will be keen to win the third ODI and take an unassailable lead in the series. @AFP

Shikhar Dhawan, who has been struggling for a while, hit the nets ahead of the third ODI in Ranchi under the watchful eyes of the batting coach Sanjay Bangar. The southpaw had scored 21 in the second ODI before he was out LBW and scored a duck in the first match in Hyderabad. While India may give a chance to KL Rahul in the third ODI, Dhawan’s form at the top will hold a key going into the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup. @AFP

Yuzvendra Chahal was captured during his fielding drills in the nets. The leggie was not picked in the first two encounters as India opted for Ravindra Jadeja in the playing XI. However, Chahal, who has formed a lethal combo with Kuldeep Yadav in the limited-overs cricket for India, is a certainty in India’s World Cup squad. @AFP

Kedar Jadhav, who scored an unbeaten 81 in the first game in Hyderabad but failed to go past 11 in the second game, was working on his game in the nets. While his bowling has been a boon for India, the Virat Kohli-led unit will want the Maharashtra batsman to be in a good form with the bat as well. @AFP

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As a tasty sub-plot, there are a few statistical milestones beckoning for a few central figures of the Indian team, chief among them the skipper Virat Kohli and former captain MS Dhoni. (READ: Australia need victory to avoid series loss to India)

Dhoni is 33 runs away from becoming the sixth Indian cricketer to score 17,000 international runs. In what may be his final international match in his home town of Ranchi, the 37-year-old is primed to follow Sachin Tendulkar (34,357), Rahul Dravid (24,208), Kohli (19, 569), Sourav Ganguly (18,575) and Virender Sehwag (17,253) crossed the landmark of 17,00 runs across all three formats.

Dhoni, who has featured for India and Asia XI in international cricket, has 16,967 runs. He averages 45 from 528 matches with 16 centuries and 106 half-centuries in international cricket. (ALSO READ: Experts analyse Shikhar Dhawan’s patchy form)

Kohli needs 76 runs to surpass Rahul Dravid as India’s third-highest run-getter in ODIs. Kohli, aged 30, has 10,693 runs from 216 ODI innings at an average of 59.73. Dravid played 340 ODIs for India from 1996 to 2011, from which he scored 10768 runs in 314 innings at an average of 39.15.

If he gets to 76 in Ranchi on Friday, Kohli will sit behind only Tendulkar and Ganguly.(ALSO READ: The numbers that highlight Virat Kohli’s genius)

Another milestone beckons the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan. The pair needs 21 runs to move past the tally of 4387 runs scored by Sehwag and Tendulkar as opening act in ODIs. In 100 innings as openers, Rohit and Dhawan have scored 4367 runs at an average of 44.11 per match, with 14 stands in excess of 100.

Rohit is also 155 runs short of the 8,000-mark in ODIs, having scored 7845 runs from 197 innings at an average of 47.25.

The allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, who in Nagpur became the third India to the double of 2000 runs and 150 wickets in ODIs, will become India’s eight-most successful bowler if he manages two wickets in Ranchi. Jadeja has 172 career wickets in ODIs, one short of Irfan Pathan’s 173.

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Ranchi: There’s is a bit of celebrityhood attached to reflected glory but the lives that Mahendra Singh Dhoni touched over the years have a sense of belonging to him without trying to own him.

Whether childhood coach Keshab Ranjan Banerjee, biology teacher Sushma Shukla or Mecon Stadium in-charge Uma Kant Jena, there is a sense of fulfillment when they talk about their tiny but significant parts in the journey of one of India’s most successful captains.

The film ‘MS Dhoni: The Untold Story’, which is played often on TV, is a guilty pleasure for Dhoni fans. And there is a curiosity about how different or similar the real life characters are from the reel ones when one roams around the industrial town to understand the Dhoni phenomenon.

“Some people asked me were you paid as they portrayed your character in the film and I was disgusted,” Banerjee ‘Sir’ said, sitting in his austere two-bedroom flat.

“I am not his biological father but a father figure. It’s a shame if a father demands anything from his son,” he asserted. (ALSO READ: ‘Rishabh Pant will make lot more Tests hundreds than MS Dhoni’)

His Hindi has that distinct Bengali accent much like Rajesh Sharma’s portrayal in the film. “He was and still is a very shy boy. He could always hide his feelings with a smile. He knew that cricket was his calling for a life he wanted for himself, even more for his family. Mahi is still like that,” Banerjee found it difficult to hide his pride.

“I have got a couple of passes for the third ODI. I had called up Mahi’s mother and she had arranged for them,” he said referring to India‘s third ODI against Australia here on Friday.

Humility is something that almost everybody associates with Dhoni. “He was a very quiet child. I taught him biology in 7th and 8^th standard. I remember asking him “Mahendra, you are Singh or Dhoni? He never liked that question. He replied ‘Maam hum Singh bhi hain aur Dhoni bhi’,” recalls Jawahar Vidya Mandir’s retired teacher Sushma Shukla. (ALSO READ: IPL good preparation for India’s bowlers ahead of 2019 Cricket World Cup: MS Dhoni)

Sushma maam became nostalgic talking about “Mahendra”. “He was getting 60 per cent even when he was fully devoted to cricket. I remember that he bunked biology practical test once as he had some match to play and boarded the same train by which I was travelling.

“Probably, he knew I was there and one of his teammates came to me and said Ma’am you are Mahendra’s teacher. I said ‘who Dhoni?’. The boy informed that he has skipped biology practical test for a match. ‘But Ma’am, this boy will become world famous’. His words were prophetic,” Shukla said.

Talk about minor celebrityhood, both Shukla and PT teacher Abha Sahay are mini celebrities in their localities.

“I stay in my native town in Maharashtra and since we were shown for around 30 seconds in that film, they now know me as Dhoni’s teacher,” she added.

For Sahay, the respect that she gets as Dhoni’s teacher is something that she will not trade off for anything. “We feel proud that probably we played a little role in the making of a humble human being. He is a great sportsman, but that humility is something that lot of people don’t possess after enjoying heady success,” Sahay said.

Uma Kant Jena, the ground in-charge of Mecon, had first seen Dhoni in 1985 when he was barely three and half years old.

“That’s the colony gate and Mahiyaa (That’s how he calls him) would roam around with a plastic bat and ball. ‘Tum phir dhoop mein bahaar’,” Jena remembered scolding him.

“Who would have thought he would achieve so much? Once, after he became India captain, he came and gave my son Bijay a bat and keeping gloves. He promised him a full kit if he performed well.

“And you know what was most embarrassing? He would sit on the floor while I sat on the chair. I would tell him please don’t do this but he won’t listen,” Jena said.

Banerjee recalled how Dhoni dropped in late at night to wish him for his marriage anniversary once.

“Security becomes an issue as people come to know. He would just come in and ask my wife to make ‘chowmein’.”

There is one gesture from Dhoni that Banerjee said he can never forget. “I wanted to take my wife to Vellore for treatment of acute arthritis and we were given appointment after three months. That’s the only time I called Mahi and asked if he could use his good offices.

“Within 15 days, we got a call from Vellore and my wife received the treatment in time. I don’t know whom he called,” his voice choked a bit.

There are no big photographs of Dhoni in his living room. “Why do I need his picture? He was my student and he always stays here (heart),” the coach said.

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A five-member team, including three from Cricket Australia Friday visited the Jharkhand State Cricket Association International Stadium Complex in Dhurwa in Ranchi and inspected the arrangements for the ODI match between India and Australia on March 8. (ALSO READ: Cricket Australia snubs Sunil Gavaskar for Border-Gavaskar trophy presentation)

According to a JSCA statement the team inspected dressing rooms, dining areas, pitch, ground, galleries, media centre, net practice area and the indoor cricket facility.

The inspection was followed by a briefing by the JSCA covering all the aspects related to stadium operations, security, hospitality and logistics etc, the release said, adding that the team appeared pleased with the arrangements.

The CA team was represented by Practice Berthold (Team Operations Manager), Sean Carroll (Head of security) and Brendan Drew ( Australia Cricketers’ Association representative).

The Indian team comprised Mayank Parikh (BCCI Logistics Manager) and Girish Dongre (BCCI Liaison for Australia team).

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