Stephen Fleming revealed that MS Dhoni’s ongoing knee injury makes it unlikely for him to bat higher up the order.
Dhoni’s Batting Position Decided by Fitness and Match Situation, Says Fleming
MS Dhoni captivated the packed Chepauk crowd last Friday with a fiery cameo of 30* off 16 balls, smashing three sixes and two boundaries. However, his efforts were overshadowed by criticism over his batting position at No. 9 during Chennai Super Kings’ match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Despite his pyrotechnics, CSK’s chase was already out of reach, and the visitors won comfortably.
CSK coach Stephen Fleming addressed the issue three days later, explaining that Dhoni’s position in the batting order will depend on his fitness and the match situation. Due to his ongoing knee injury, which required surgery in 2023, Dhoni is unlikely to bat higher than No. 9 if more than six or seven overs remain.
When asked if Dhoni had become a burden for Chennai, Fleming quickly dispelled the notion, emphasizing Dhoni’s immense value as a leader and wicketkeeper. “He’s too valuable to throw him in at nine or ten overs. From around 13-14 overs, he’s ready to step in,” Fleming added.
Dhoni Comes in at No. 7 Against RR
After facing criticism, MS Dhoni walked out at No. 7 on Sunday in the match against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati, with 54 runs needed from the final 4.1 overs. However, he couldn’t make a significant impact in the chase of 183. Dhoni struggled to get going, particularly against former CSK spinner Maheesh Theekshana, who bowled a brilliant 18th over, conceding just six runs. Dhoni responded by hitting a boundary and a six in the penultimate over off Tushar Deshpande, another ex-CSK player. He and Ravindra Jadeja brought the target down to 20 runs for the final over, but Dhoni was dismissed by Sandeep Sharma once again, and Chennai fell short by six runs.