IPL 2020: Gautam Gambhir feels MS Dhoni will take time to get going with the bat in IPL 13

Dhoni has not played a competitive cricket match since India's World Cup 2019 exit.

MS Dhoni | Twitter

Ex-Kolkata Knight Riders' Indian Premier League (IPL) winning captain Gautam Gambhir doesn't feel like MS Dhoni would announce his arrival with the bat straight away in IPL 2020. He feels the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain will take time before getting his form back.

Dhoni hasn't played competitive cricket for over a year and it may play a role in his comeback tournament. Not to forget, the 39-year-old was vital with the bat for CSK in the last two seasons.

ALSO READ: IPL 2020: Sanjay Bangar eager to see how MS Dhoni manages fielding positions of senior CSK players

Speaking on Dhoni's crucial role in the latest edition of the Star Sports' show Game Plan, Gambhir said, "Firstly, every captain's role is important for their franchise. But MS Dhoni's becomes more important because they don't have Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh, two players from their playing XI who had the experience."

Gambhir feels this is the right season for Dhoni to step up in the batting order and contribute with the bat when Raina is missing.

"I would want to see at what number MS Dhoni bats because the better you bat, the better decisions you can take as a captain. So his form is going to be very important and I will want to see him start at No.3 or No.4 so that he can get his form."

Adding that Dhoni was away from cricket since India's World Cup exit in July 2019, Gambhir said, "He has not played cricket at all for the last one year, so to suddenly come to a tournament like the IPL and start scoring runs and make an impact sometimes becomes difficult. So the higher he bats, it would become easier."

(Quotes Inputs Star Sports' show Game Plan)

 
 

By Sihyeu Singh - 18 Sep, 2020

    Share Via