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Ranchi's favourite son aims to seal series on home ground

  • India beat New Zealand in the third ODI by 6 wickets.
  • Dhoni will have all eyes as Ranchi is his hometown.
  • Kohli and Dhoni's 151-run partnership helped India win the Mohali match.
Ranchis favourite son aims to seal series on home ground

After New Zealand squared off the five-ODI series with a win in the second ODI in New Delhi, Dhoni and Virat Kohli ensured India went 2-1 up at the end of the third match in Mohali.

 

Read more: Kohli-Dhoni masterclass help India rout Kiwis in 3rd ODI

 

India will lock horns with New Zealand in Dhoni's hometown, Ranchi, for the fourth ODI.

 

A batsman, wicketkeeper, and a cool-headed skipper, all rolled into one; Dhoni promoted himself to No.4 in the last ODI and set up the seven-wicket win in the company of Virat Kohli to give the hosts a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

 

Dhoni's 91-ball 80 in Mohali also took him to the club of 9,000 ODI runs. He became the first to reach there with an average of 50 or more.

 

The Jharkhand State Cricket Association Stadium Complex has hosted three ODIs and one T20I, with India winning all of them except for a rain-marred one-dayer.

 

Dhoni's deputy, Kohli, will also look forward to return to the venue where he has scores of 77 not out and 139 not out in his two unconquered ODI innings here.

 

Regarded among the best batsmen of the modern era, Kohli once again showed how dangerous he could be after being dropped early in his innings in Mohali. He came on his own after the reprieve on six and scripted a flawless 154 not out off 134 balls to take India past New Zealand's 285 in the third ODI.

 

It was Kohli's 26th century -- 22 in winning cause, same as Sachin Tendulkar -- and 14 in successful chases.

 

And come tomorrow, stopping the 27-year-old Delhi batsman would be a first in New Zealand's wish-list.

 

In their decisive 151-run third wicket partnership, Dhoni showed a renewed optimism and hunger while Kohli was at his clinical best.

 

Back home where it all began for Dhoni, it will be an emotional match for the Indian skipper, who has won every ICC Trophy and he would look to make the outing a memorable one.

 

Dhoni's return to form would be a dangerous signal for the Kiwis, who are desperate to prove a point after their 0-3 whitewash in the Test series.

 

Despite opting to rest their three premier bowlers in the Tests -- Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammad Shami and Ravindra Jadeja keeping in view the gruelling home season ahead -- India have done reasonably well in the bowling department.

 

The biggest surprise has been part-time off-spinner Kedar Jadhav, who has taken six wickets at less than eight runs an over, and is joint second on the wicket-takers' list behind leg-spinner Amit Mishra.

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