Nagpur, Oct. 29: When Mahendra Singh Dhoni burst on to the international cricket with a smashing 148 against Pakistan in Vishakapatnam in 2005, it created a huge impression. Such was is array of astounding strokes that people expected the same whenever he walked to the crease.

But over the last three years, despite widespread dismay, Dhoni seems to have cultivated a more sober image. He has spoken of long innings, rather than little cameos and has deliberately cut down on aggressive shots. Until Wednesday, that is, when Dhoni ambushed the Australians with a power-packed 124 at Nagpur.

The beauty of the knock was the way the India skipper paced the innings before accelerating in the end overs, a kind of knock Dhoni has insisted on playing. "I am not the same as I was three or four years back," Dhoni explained on Wednesday.

"Now there is more responsibility on my shoulders. People still expect me to hit big sixes but it is different, batting lower-down the order as you have to play according to the situation." The 28-year-old still fondly remembers his first ODI hundred, and his latest and fifth one in Nagpur, will also remain etched in his memory. "It was a special innings and it means a lot as it came against a top side like Australia. But I remember each of my five centuries and each is special to me," he noted.

Dhoni said he went blank when he was struck on the helmet by Ben Hilfenhuas special. "It usually happens when you get hit on the head. It hurt a bit but it it’s not like I was hit on the head for the first time.

"If you make a programme on it, I think you will get at least 15 clippings.

"I get hit on the head all the time but it is not the best way to start your innings." Dhoni said, amidst peals of laughter.

Dhoni gave credit to the top-order for setting an excellent platform, before he ruled out the idea of promoting himself up the order for rest of the matches.

"We have the best top-four batsmen n the world, with Sachin (Tendulkar), (Virender) Sehwag, (Gautam) Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh. So it becomes difficult for me to come before that."