Pragyan Ojha also feels Dhoni will continue to play at No.7 for CSK in the IPL 14.
Former Indian cricketer Deep Dasgupta believes that MS Dhoni is “extremely practical and pragmatic” when it comes to understanding the ground-level situation, as he knows where he stands and will never put himself ahead of someone who is in better form in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) line-up.
So far in the ongoing 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021), the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Dhoni batted at No.7 in two games – in the first game he fell for a duck and CSK lost the game to Delhi Capitals in their IPL 14 opener. However, Dhoni didn’t get to bat in the second IPL 2021 game against Punjab Kings but sent Sam Curran ahead of him and lead the side to a 6-wicket victory last week.
In CSK’s last game against Rajasthan Royals, Dhoni looked rusty as he took 6 balls to score his first run before getting out for a 17-ball 18, though, the three-time IPL champions won the game by 45 runs.
Dasgupta told Sports Today, “He is extremely practical and pragmatic. He would know where he stands and he would know where the others stand. Trust him to take a call; it will not be putting himself above someone else with better form. If you look at the last game, he did not come ahead of Sam Curran. He is extremely practical. He knows what the situation is at the ground level.”
The former wicketkeeper-batsman has also pointed out that CSK doesn’t have to worry about Dhoni beginning IPL 2021 on a rusty note, as they have the batting depth and firepower to be flexible according to the game situation in the ongoing IPL 14.
He further explained, “Yes, if you haven’t been playing games, you will (look rusty) in the first couple of games. But you don’t have to worry about it. And they have got batting till 11. They have Dwayne Bravo at No. 9. I don’t really think they have to worry too much but they need to get their batting order right depending on the situation. I thought they got it right (against) RR.
It’s not important which number you bat in, according to me, in T20s, only your openers are fixed and everything else becomes flexible. If your openers get a good start in 7-8 overs, then you need to be flexible. I think CSK can afford to be flexible.”
Meanwhile, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha also agreed with Dasgupta regarding Dhoni’s batting position in the ongoing IPL 14, saying former India captain will not promote himself higher up the order unless he feels the need to do so.
Ojha noted, “Everybody knows MS Dhoni. He knows exactly what he has to do. How much ever people say that he has to come up the order, he will continue to play at the same position. He will not come up the order until he feels that at some point in time, his time requires him to come up the order.”
Noteworthy, CSK will next face Kolkata Knight Riders on Wednesday, April 22 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai after winning two back-to-back games in the ongoing IPL 2021.
(With India Today Inputs)