Chennai Super Kings (CSK) suffered a comprehensive 35-run defeat at the hands of Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 59 of the IPL 2024 season at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on Friday (May 10).
Invited to bat first, GT rode on sublime centuries from Shubman Gill (104 off 55) and his opening partner Sai Sudharsan (103 off 51) to rack up a massive 231/3 on the board.
In reply, the defending champions managed 196/8 in their allotted 20 overs. While Daryl Mitchell (63 off 34 balls) and Moeen Ali (56 off 36 balls) slammed brilliant half-centuries, they didn’t get ample support from others.
Batting at No. 8, MS Dhoni produced a crucial came of 26* in just 11 balls with one boundary and three sixes but it wasn't enough to save CSK from a certain defeat.
Dhoni’s batting position has become a topic of debate in the ongoing IPL season. He batted at No. 9 in CSK’s match against PBKS in Dharamsala on May 5, leaving many fans and experts shocked.
However, former India opener Virender Sehwag stated that the debate surrounding Dhoni’s batting position should end.
While Sehwag said Dhoni knows best about his tactics, he believes that the former CSK skipper shouldn't be batting this low considering his current form.
“We should end the debate around MS Dhoni's batting position. He knows what he wants to do. It's his wish. But if you want to win the match, the form he is in, and the strike rate that he's batting at... the other batters need to play at a similar level. It felt today that Mitchell and Ali couldn't match Sudharsan and Gill. Someone has to score a 100. Or Jadeja and Dube had to score a 20-ball fifty to get close to the target,” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.
“I don't want to get into the debate. Wherever he bat, it's fine. He played fine, entertained the public, who cares if they win or lose? He entertained public, that's it,” he further said.
Recently, a report published in TOI claimed that coming out to bat in the lower order is more of a compulsion for Dhoni.
According to the report, Dhoni is playing the entire IPL with a muscle tear in his leg and there is no way he can run for too long. He sustained the tear early in this year's IPL.
Ahead of CSK’s match against GT, head coach Stephen Fleming also confirmed that MS Dhoni is nursing an injury and they are looking to maximize his output.
"Don't underestimate his influence on the team just because he comes in at No. 9. There's a timing aspect, but we're very wary of what he can give us. And we'll max that out," Fleming had said.
"But we don't want to max that out where we lose him. So it's a delicate balance, but trust me, his best interest is with us, and his interest [is] in performing well for us is still very high. To put the nation at ease - he's okay," he added.
