Mount Maunganui (New Zealand): Former skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni missed out Monday’s third ODI against New Zealand with a hamstring injury, making it only the third occasion when the veteran stumper was forced out of the India playing XI.
At 37, Dhoni has been one of the fittest Indian cricketers of the current generation and very less often do fans witness an Indian line-up sans his name in white-ball cricket.
The last time he was out of the playing XI was way back in 2013 when he missed three ODIs due to a hamstring injury in a tri-series in the West Indies. The first time he had to sit out was 12 years ago when viral fever prevented him from playing two ODIs against Ireland and South Africa in Belfast.
The talismanic stumper was once again troubled by his hamstring and he declared himself unfit before the game, which provided the Men in Blue with an opportunity to test out Dinesh Karthik behind the stumps.
IANS