Jharkhand cricket team

Dhonis performance in the 200203 season included three halfcenturies in the Ranji Trophy and a couple of halfcenturies in the Deodhar Trophy as he started gaining recognition for his lowerorder contribution as well as hardhitting batting style. In the 200304 season, Dhoni scored a century (128) against Assam in the first match of the Ranji ODI tournament. He was part of the East Zone squad that won the Deodhar Trophy that year and contributed with 244 runs in 4 matches. In the Duleep Trophy finals, Dhoni was picked over international cricketer Deep Dasgupta to represent East Zone. He scored a fighting halfcentury in the second innings in a losing cause.Dhonis talent was discovered via the BCCIs smalltown talentspotting initiative TRDW. Dhoni was discovered by TRDO PC Podar, captain of Bengal in the 1960s, when he saw Dhoni play for Jharkhand at a match in Jamshedpur in 2003, and sent a report to the National Cricket Academy.