Batting “in the zone”

One of the clichés used by commentators to describe a batsman batting extremely well is that “he is in the zone“.

I always wonder what they mean by that. But a possible answer is in the way M.S. Dhoni reacted (or did not react) when a swarm of bees invaded the ground yesterday during the 2^nd ODI at Vizag.

Dhoni was acting like a freight train flattening everything in its path when a swarm of bees made their way into the cricket ground. Everyone, including Dravid (at the non-striker’s end), the bowler, wicketkeeper and the fielders lay flat on the ground hoping for the bees to buzz away. But at the other end, M.S. Dhoni stood his ground, almost oblivious to the bees around him. He looked around to see players on the ground, but I think he failed to register the threat of the bees. He seemed to be in his own world, thinking about the next ball and how he planned to hit it. He was, as they say, in the zone!