In the world of cricket, former Indian skipper MS Dhoni remains an influential figure, and his recent performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) serve to further cement his reputation as a formidable batsman. MS Dhoni, once the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has garnered 110 runs across nine innings during his campaign, boasting an impressive strike rate of 224.48. His batting prowess continues to shine through even as he takes on a finishing role lower down the order.
In the ongoing IPL season, Dhoni’s strategic placement in the batting lineup has been a point of contention, particularly highlighted during CSK’s encounter with Punjab Kings at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, where he walked out to bat after Shardul Thakur, positioned at ninth in the batting order. This tactical move by CSK and Dhoni has met with criticism from former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan during his commentary on Star Sports.
Pathan articulated his concerns suggesting that Dhoni’s current batting strategy is suboptimal for the team’s interests. “MS Dhoni batting at No.9 doesn’t work for CSK, it doesn’t help the team’s cause. I know that he is 42, but he is in solid form. He should be taking the responsibility of batting up the order. He should bat for at least 4 to 5 overs. He is batting for the last over or last 2 overs and that doesn’t serve the purpose for CSK for a long term,” commented Pathan.
The former all-rounder insisted that with the playoffs on the horizon and CSK needing to win the majority of their remaining games, Dhoni’s form demands a higher batting position. “It might happen that we will see CSK qualify for the playoffs from here on and they need to win 90 percent of their games. As a proper senior guy, who’s in form, he needs to bat up the order. He can’t be doing the same thing that he has done on quite a few occasions,” added Pathan.
Reflecting on CSK’s performance during the aforementioned match, the team batted first and posted a score of 167/9 within their allotted overs on a pitch that was not conducive to high-scoring play. Ajinkya Rahane’s stint was brief as he exited with 9 runs, while Ruturaj Gaikwad put forth a measured 32 off 21 balls. Daryl Mitchell provided a solid 19-ball 30, but it was Ravindra Jadeja’s 43 that became the backbone of CSK’s total score.
The subsequent attempt at chasing down the total by the Punjab Kings was met with a rock-solid defense from the Super Kings. Prabhsimran Singh’s 23-ball 30 made him the top-scorer for the Punjab side while Shashan Singh followed with a 20-run contribution. Ultimately, the batting lineup of Punjab Kings failed to unsettle CSK’s established score.
To give context to the match proceedings, the playing XI for both teams was as follows:
Punjab Kings fielded Jonny Bairstow, Rilee Rossouw, Shashank Singh, Sam Curran as captain, Jitesh Sharma as wicketkeeper, Ashutosh Sharma, Harpreet Brar, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, Kagiso Rabada, and Arshdeep Singh.
Chennai Super Kings’ lineup included Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain, Daryl Mitchell, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni as wicketkeeper, Mitchell Santner, Shardul Thakur, Richard Gleeson, and Tushar Deshpande.
As the season advances, the focus will likely remain on CSK’s utilization of MS Dhoni’s capabilities and whether the team’s strategy will pivot according to the insights provided by cricket pundits like Irfan Pathan. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if a change in batting order can indeed turn the tide and provide CSK with the push needed to secure their spot in the playoffs.
