In which city did M. S. Dhoni make his One Day International (ODI) debut for India?

Introduction / Context:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni, commonly known as M. S. Dhoni, is one of India s most celebrated cricketers and former captains. Knowing where he made his debut in One Day International cricket is a favourite trivia question. This item checks whether the learner can recall the city where Dhoni played his first ODI match for India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The format considered is ODI cricket.
• The question is about Dhoni s debut match venue.
• Options are Chittagong, Dhaka, Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam.
• The match was part of a tour of Bangladesh in the early two thousands.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to remember that Dhoni made his ODI debut against Bangladesh and that the series was played in Bangladesh. City names in the options include two Bangladeshi cities and two Indian cities. Recognising that the debut happened in Bangladesh allows us to first eliminate the Indian venues and then choose the correct Bangladeshi city. Further recall of match details helps distinguish between Dhaka and Chittagong.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Dhoni s first ODI was against Bangladesh in 2004.Step 2: Remember that this debut occurred in Bangladesh, not in India.Step 3: This immediately rules out Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam as possible answers.Step 4: Between Dhaka and Chittagong, recall that the particular match took place in Chittagong.Step 5: Therefore, the correct answer is Chittagong.

Verification / Alternative check:
Cricket summaries of Dhoni s career usually mention that his ODI debut was against Bangladesh at Chittagong in December 2004. They also mention that his initial innings in that series were modest before he became a star later. Linking this detail to Chittagong, rather than Dhaka, confirms that Chittagong was the venue for his first ODI and validates our choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Dhaka is another major cricket venue in Bangladesh, but it did not host Dhoni s debut match. Hyderabad and Visakhapatnam are Indian cities and cannot be correct because the debut series was away in Bangladesh. While Dhoni has played many matches in all these venues later in his career, only Chittagong is linked to his first ODI appearance.

Common Pitfalls:
Many learners quickly select Dhaka because it is the capital of Bangladesh and a very famous cricket venue. Others may assume that Dhoni debuted in India and guess Hyderabad or Visakhapatnam. Remembering that Sangakkara and other players also debuted or played key matches in various cities can add to the confusion. To avoid this, it helps to explicitly memorise "M. S. Dhoni ODI debut versus Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2004."

Final Answer:
M. S. Dhoni made his ODI debut for India in the city of Chittagong.