Dhoni has turned back the clock with his last three innings, two of them half centuries, adding to the fine run of imposing all-rounder Shane Watson.
The same bowling which was India's weakest link coming into the World Cup has remarkably become their strongest suit as the reigning champions eased into the last four in impressive style.
It was after many years that an Indian cricket team lived up to expectations outside the sub-continent.
India's preparations for the cricket World Cup suffered a jolt as Australia thrashed the defending champions by 106 runs with Glenn Maxwell and David Warner striking blistering centuries in their first warm-up game in Adelaide.
Ravindra Jadeja kicked-off Chennai Super Kings' campaign in the opening match of the India leg of the Indian Premier League with a match-winning performance with bat and ball, as the two-time champions easily beat 2012 winners Kolkata Knight Riders by 34 runs, in Ranchi, on Friday night.
You do wonder why this is so, especially because top Indian players earn significantly higher amounts than their international counterparts with similar or greater ability. Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji identify the Most Valuable Players in the IPL so far.
India's leading off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin can use the IPL as a platform to revive his dwindling career in limited overs cricket, feels veteran batsman Subramaniam Badrinath.
Joe Root hit his second successive century to power England to an eight-wicket victory against India, which helped them clinch the three-match series 2-1, in Headingley on Tuesday.
Some teams have completely overhauled their squads. Others retained their core at the IPL Players Auction.
Former India batsman V V S Laxman, who always reserved his best for the mighty Australia, feels that Suresh Raina 'needs a lot of clarity' as to how he would find a solution against short-pitched bowling.
When India played their last time, the two four day games were played at Rustenberg and Pretoria while the tri-series was entirely played in Pretoria. The 'Test' series was drawn 1-1 while List A tri-series was won by India. The current tour has been scheduled after the 10th edition of Indian Premier League where all the top players are expected to play. "The A tours give ideal opportunity to the performers in domestic cricket to showcase their talent. Look at the likes of Priyank Panchal, who has scored over 1000 runs or youngsters like Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan who have caught the attention -- the selectors will get a chance to test if they are ready for the next level or not," a top BCCI source said.
The logjam at the Delhi District Cricket Association is all set to end as 19 members of the all-powerful executive committee proposed the name of former India batsman Ajay Jadeja for the chief coach's post.
Since the tour of Sri Lanka in July-August 2017, India have tried as many as six different batsmen -- KL Rahul, Kedar Jadhav, Manish Pandya, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik and Ajinkya Rahane -- at number four.
'On paper he's not the captain. On the ground he's the captain for Virat I think'
Team India, set for a gruelling tour of Australia, looked in top gear as they practiced diligently during a nets session on the eve of the first Test in Adelaide on Monday.
It will be a test of character and battle for supremacy when Delhi Daredevils and Gujarat Lions, two of the most impressive teams of IPL 9, lock horns against each other at the Feroze Shah Kotla stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday. Barring one bad day in office, both Daredevils and Gujarat Lions had a near perfect campaign so far in the tournament. While new outfit Gujarat Lions are comfortably placed at the second spot in the eight-team standings with eight points from five matches, the Daredevils are a place below in the third position with six points from four games.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji analyse Week 1 in Rediff.com's Most Valuable Players ratings.
Steve Smith scored a brilliant century to help Australia knock out defending champions India and set up a mouth-watering final against neighbours New Zealand, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, on Thursday.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu refuted the charge of playing water politics, saying a steam-cleaned, 10-wagon train was on way to fill water at Jhansi before going to the drought-hit areas.
After his phenomenal bowling performance, -- 13 wickets at an economy rate of 5.1 -- which proved vital in Bangladesh's first ever ODI series win over India, it is not a surprise that Mustafizur Rahman is the most valuable player (MVP) of the three-match series.
After being comprehensively thrashed by 79 runs in the opening ODI of the three-match series, India, for the first time, are staring at the ignominy of series defeat against the proverbial minnows of world cricket.
K L Rahul, the kingpin of the KXIP batting, is second (MVPI: 601), followed by Sunrisers Captain Kane Williamson (543). Jos Buttler, after his match-winning batting for Rajasthan Royals on Friday night, is just 4 'runs' behind at 539, and M S Dhoni is fifth with 538 'runs'.
Punjab pummelled Delhi by 10 wickets for their maiden win of the season on Friday while handing the hosts their first Ranji Trophy loss at home in five years.
Rajneesh Gupta brings you all the numbers from the first 35 games in IPL-12.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji analyse Week 3 of IPL-11 in Rediff.com's Most Valuable Players ratings.
As far as Bangladesh were concerned, there was nothing worth mentioning except for a fifty each from captain Mushfiqur Rahim (59) and Shakib Al Hasan (52), the latter emerging as the Most Valuable Player (MVP) on account of his all-round showing in the series as he also claimed six wickets with his left-arm spin.
The third ODI between India and Bangladesh was called off after heavy showers rendered the ground unfit for play in Mirpur on Thursday.
'Probably because he was aware that this was his 100th ODI. Or probably because, in the first of its knock-out games, his team had produced the sort of all-round display that induces smiles.'
MS Dhoni is ready for limited overs series against South Africa.
Litmus test awaits India and MS Dhoni in second ODI against South Africa.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji identify the Most Valuable Players in the IPL at the end of Match 59.
Kolkata Knight Riders took a giant stride towards ensuring a play-off berth as they walloped Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets to take their winning streak to five matches in the seventh edition of IPL.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji identify the 60 Most Valuable Players in the IPL so far.
Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji identify the Most Valuable Players in the IPL so far.
Under-fire batsman Virat Kohli finally came good and the bowlers delivered to help India beat Middlesex by 95 runs in the the 50-over practice game at Lord's.
At the conclusion of the Asia Cup, Srinivas Bhogle and Purnendu Maji make an assessment after 36 matches India has played so far in the 2013-14 season.
The series already in their pocket, India would aim for a clean sweep against the hosts and end the tour of Australia on a high when the two teams clash in the third and final Twenty20.
Raising the communal temperature in riot-affected western Uttar Pradesh going to polls on Monday, Narendra Modi's close aide Amit Shah has spoken of the current election being an opportunity to take "revenge for the insult" during the violence in Muzaffarnagar last year.
Rediff readers tell us what their first salaries were.
Images from the World cup Group B match between India and the West Indies, in Perth.
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