Mahendra Singh Dhoni today became the fourth wicketkeeper in the world to reach 350 dismissals in One-day Internationals, while widening the gap further with his India predecessors.
The limited overs skipper achieved the feat during the ongoing third and final ODI against Zimbabwe, when he caught Elton Chigumbura off medium pacer Jasprit Bumrah in the 33rd over of the innings at the Harare Sports Club.
Dhoni has so far taken 261 catches and effected 89 stumpings in 278 matches.
Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara leads the list with 482 dismissals followed by Australian Adam Gilchrist and South Africa's Mark Boucher with 472 and 424 dismissals respectively.
As far as dismissals in the 50-over format are concerned, Dhoni is the only Indian in the 300-club, which he scaled during an ODI against New Zealand in January 2014.
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India have rested a few senior cricketers like Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami and Ravindra Jadeja for the current ODI series against New Zealand keeping in mind the long season ahead.
And Dhoni backed the national selectors' decision, saying it was necessary to keep the players fresh and also to test the team's bench strength.
"At times you need to look at future schedules. We are playing 13 Test matches this season, after that IPL followed by Champions Trophy. As such there is no big break in the middle. So I think it's a good decision. At times you have look at the long-term things," he said.
"We also get an opportunity to test other players and see the bench strength. We are just playing eight ODIs this season. So whatever plans we have we can check them in these matches."
With some new players in the squad, Dhoni also indicated that he might bat up the order in the five ODIs against New Zealand.
"I may bat slightly up the order now. This team will give me an opportunity to bat at the number that I am looking for. But still it will be quite low, not like a no. 4 position," he said.
With the absence of senior pros, India has fielded a relatively inexperienced bowling attack for the series to be led by young Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav but Dhoni backed his bowling arsenal to come good.
"If you see (Jasprit) Bumrah, he has done really well for us. He has become like the banker especially when it comes to death bowling. In the similar way we will see what others have to offer. Umesh is getting a chance again to play at this level. He is someone who has developed his bowling especially in limited overs cricket. It will be a good chance for him to express himself. Dhawal (Kulkarani) is someone who has done consistently well in the domestic circuit," he said.
"Unless you give them chance it would be very difficult to predict how good they will be at this level because I feel the difference between our domestic level and international level is quite big. So I feel it's a good exposure for them."
The skipper also said that the pressure of expectations from the Indian public doesn't give him much leeway to chop and change the playing eleven.
"India is all about winning. Let's be frank people and the media only wants Indian team to win. So at the end of the day it becomes difficult. If you rest Virat (Kohli) or Ajinkya (Rahane) then there will be questions what's really happening?
"So when you get an opportunity you try to make the most of it. But there are a few slots we are definitely looking forward to and there a few individuals who we are really keen to see what they has to offer," Dhoni stressed.
"Let's be fair about it, with the Indian team it's very difficult to give chances. We have to win games and also look at the process. We try our best to do both.
