Junior cricket in Bihar

In 1998 Dhoni was selected by Deval Sahay to play for the Central Coal Fields Limited (CCL) team.Dhoni was included in the Bihar U19 squad for the 199899 season and scored 176 runs in 5 matches (7 innings) as the team finished fourth in the group of six and did not make it to the quarterfinals. Dhoni was not picked for the East Zone U19 squad (CK Nayudu Trophy) or Rest of India squad (MA Chidambaram Trophy and Vinoo Mankad Trophy). Bihar U19 cricket team advanced to the finals of the 1999 2000 Cooch Behar Trophy where Dhoni made 84 to help Bihar post a total of 357. Bihars efforts were dwarfed by Punjab U19s 839 with Dhonis future national squad teammate Yuvraj Singh making 358. Dhonis contribution in the tournament included 488 runs (9 matches, 12 innings), 5 fifties, 17 catches and 7 stumpings. Dhoni made it to the East Zone U19 squad for the CK Nayudu trophy but scored only 97 runs in four matches as East Zone lost all four matches and finished last in the tournament.