Dhoni-Azhar bhai-bhai: The 'club of 199'

What significance does the number 199 have for some of the most iconic cricketers in the world?

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Dhoni-Azhar bhai-bhai: The 'club of 199'
MS Dhoni captained India in 199 ODIs (Reuters Photo)

In Short

  • MS Dhoni captained India in 199 ODIs
  • Azharuddin and Rahul were out for 199
  • Hobbs has scored 199 first-class centuries

If there is anything that is common in some of the most iconic figures in the game of cricket - it is the number '199'. From the Indian trio of MS Dhoni, Mohammad Azharuddin and KL Rahul to England's Jack Hobbs and Australia's Shane Warne, the number is etched forever on their CVs.

Here's a list of all the players who have a connection with the iconic number :

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MS DHONI

Mahendra Singh Dhoni made his India debut back in 2004 under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly and after initial hiccups, he became a batsman and a leader to be reckoned with. He became more mellow with the bat also became the only captain to hold aloft all the ICC trophies in limited overs cricket. Dhoni will go down as one of the greatest captains in the history of the game if not the greatest. The 35-year-old wicket-keeper captained India in 199 one-day internationals, winning 110 of them. Dhoni is only the first captain from the sub-continent and third to have won 100 ODIs, after Allan Border and Ricky Ponting. He is also the only player to captain in 50 Twenty20 Internationals. He captained India in 72 T20Is and won 42 of them.

MOHAMMAD AZHARUDDIN

Mohammad Azharuddin, who is also rated as one of India's most successful captains also makes the list for his iconic innings of 199 against Sri Lanka in Kanpur back in 1986-87. Sunil Gavaskar provided India with a brilliant start and after two quick wickets, Dilip Vengsarkar walked in and stitched a partnership with the Mumbaikar before falling for 57. Azhar walked in and built a partnership with Gavaskar, who eventually fell for 176. But, the Hyderabad batsman didn't throw his wicket away. He dug deep and played a marathon innings of 199 off 505 balls before falling leg-before to Ravi Ratnayeke. Although he scored 22 Test centuries, he failed to convert a single one into a double hundred and the 199 eventually ended up as his highest Test score.

KL RAHUL

Another Indian batsman who suffered a heartbreak was Lokesh Rahul. The Karnataka batsman played a loose shot to get out on 199 after playing a brilliant innings to help India get on top against England in the Chennai Test. Rahul faced 311 deliveries, batted for eight-and-a-half hours to smash 16 fours and three sixes for his 199 before offering an easy catch to Jos Buttler off Adil Rashid's bowling. He became the second Indian after former skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, and the ninth overall to depart one short of a double hundred.

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JACK HOBBS

England's Jack Hobbs played 61 Test matches for England, scoring 5410 runs and 15 Test centuries. However, he is better known for his prolific record in first-class cricket. Hobbs played for Sussex in county cricket, scoring 61760 runs at an average of 50.70. He makes it to this list for scoring 199 centuries. He also has 273 fifties in his first-class career. Hobbs holds the record for most hundreds made by any player in the history of the game in first-class cricket. He is followed by Ponting, with 82 centuries.

BRENDON McCULLUM

The former New Zealand captain was one of the most destructive batsmen of his generation. On his day, he could destroy any bowling attack with ease. McCullum's connection with the iconic number is unique. He has hit 199 fours in 71 T20Is.. The Otago born wicketkeeper-batsman grabbed all the headlines when he scored 158 in the opening match of the Indian Premier League back in 2008 for Kolkata Knight Riders and since then he has never looked back. He has scored 2140 runs from 71 T20Is at an average of 35.66 for New Zealand.

Reuters Photo

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SHANE WARNE

Shane Warne, who is known more for his mastery with the ball than with the bat also has a connection with the number 199. The leg-spinner, who was once the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket with 708 scalps, has played 199 Test innings in 145 Test matches. The Wizard of Oz, was no muck with the bat to be honest. He was a decent lower-order batsman who could chip in with important runs when required. Warne managed to score 3154 runs from 199 innings with a highest of 99 against New Zealand back in 2001-02.

Reuters Photo

DWANE BRAVO

DJ Bravo, who made his International debut in 2004, has since gone onto play 40 Tests and 164 ODIs for West Indies. The Trinadadian all-rounder, more of a hit in the shorter formats of the game with his terrific bowling and on-field jigs has taken 199 wickets in ODIs, thus, making him a member of the '199 club'.

Reuters Photo

ABDUR RAZZAK

The spinner from Khulna was an important cog in the wheel for Bangladesh's historic run in the 2007 World Cup. The left-arm spinner played an important role in Bangladesh's steady rise in limited-over's cricket and featured in 199 internationals (153 ODIs, 34 T20Is, 12 Tests). In one-day internationals and T20s, he managed to get 207 and 43 wickets respectively while in Tests he has 23 scalps to his name.