July 2007, Lord's - India was down and almost out, until MS Dhoni weathered the storm, stonewalled the favourites, and let the rain gods do the rest
The 2007 England tour started under a cloud - and not just the English sky. India was still reeling from Greg Chappell’s turbulent departure. The dressing room was fractured, the leadership uncertain, and the team sheet raised more questions than answers.
The Fab Four - Dravid, Tendulkar, Ganguly, and Laxman - were nearing the end of their careers. The bowling attack had experience but lacked menace. The openers were still proving themselves. And the wicketkeeper's position? That was a highly contested spot. Dinesh Karthik was chosen to open, meaning someone else had to keep wickets. That someone was Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the long-haired, hard-hitting young man from Ranchi - still a mystery in whites.
England batted first and struggled from a strong 252/2 to all out at 298. India threw away the advantage by collapsing to 201 all out, after losing the last five wickets for 28. England then piled on a massive 282 in their second innings, with Kevin Pietersen scoring a gritty century, setting India a daunting target of 380.
Credit: ESPN
The chase began predictably, with wickets falling. Jaffer fell early. Dravid couldn’t withstand the new ball. Tendulkar didn’t last long either. The scorecard read 55/3, and it was still Day 4. The match was slipping away faster than anyone could halt the tide.
When VVS Laxman joined MS Dhoni, the aim wasn’t to win. It was to survive. To last the overs. To hope that the grey skies would bring mercy. Dhoni, however, didn’t wait for the rain - he earned it.
Credit: ESPN
His knock of 76 not out off 159 balls was no visual spectacle. It was all grit and resolve. He wasn’t fluid, he wasn’t flawless, but he was unwavering. He pushed, he prodded, he ducked, he jabbed. He dropped anchor and faced fire. He refused singles to shield RP Singh and Sreesanth. He played with the heart of a soldier and the patience of a monk.
And yes, he was fortunate. Dropped at 14 by Collingwood. Survived an LBW appeal against Panesar. Edged a few past the slips. But he never flinched.
With India 9 down and nearly 70 runs behind, the final 20 overs became a siege. England threw everything at Dhoni. Vaughan even brought himself on. Panesar beat the bat. Steve Bucknor stood unmoved. Dhoni remained unfazed.
Credit: ESPN
Then came the weather. The light dimmed, clouds thickened, and with each passing over, hope returned to the Indian dressing room. Dhoni had achieved the impossible - not by attacking, but by enduring. The match was called off due to bad light. A draw. But it felt like a victory.
India secured victory in the second Test at Nottingham and drew the third at The Oval, winning the series 1-0. This was a historic achievement - their first in England in 21 years.
However, the true spirit of the series was captured at Lord’s. There, Dhoni shifted from being a hitter to a protector. While it wasn’t his most graceful innings, it was his most vital.
