MS Dhoni’s role in CSK’s batting order has been a topic of debate, with the legendary finisher often coming in too late to make an impact. CSK coach Stephen Fleming has now explained the reasoning behind this strategy, but with the team struggling in chases, questions are being raised—has this move done more harm than good?
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For those fans wondering why MS Dhoni doesn’t bat higher up the order and why his entry points in a chase are always so delayed that the game looks lost, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) coach Stephen Fleming has explained the thought process behind the decision-making, admitting that it is inspired by his growing age.
Dhoni courted a
lot of criticism after he batted at No.9 against Royal Challenges Bengaluru (RCB), behind R Ashwin, and came out to the middle in the 16th over when CSK were reduced to 99/7 in a 197-run chase and the match looked effectively over.
His late entry point was heavily criticised on social media, as experts termed it a waste of an asset. Things did change a bit against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday, as Dhoni
promoted himself to the No.7 slot. However, despite a jump in batting position, his entry points once again created dismay among experts and fans.
Dhoni could have come out in the 12th over after the dismissal of Vijay Shankar which reduced CSK to 92/4 in a chase of 183. However, Dhoni delayed his entry and came out after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s dismissal in the 16th over when 54 was still needed from 25 balls.
Dhoni made 16 off 11 and hit a six besides a four but it wasn’t enough as CSK lost by six runs.
Fleming explains logic behind Dhoni’s late entry points
One wonders whether things could have been different if Dhoni had come out a bit early, but CSK coach Fleming said that due to wear and tear to the 43-year-old’s body and knee, the former Chennai captain cannot bat 10 overs.
The former New Zealand skipper revealed that Dhoni’s entry points are decided based on the match requirements.
“Yeah, it’s a time thing,” Fleming said. “MS judges it. His body is… his knees aren’t what they used to be. And he’s moving okay, but there’s still an attrition aspect to it. He can’t bat ten overs running full stick. So he will gauge on the day what he can give us. If the game’s in the balance like today, he will go a little bit earlier, and he backs other players when other opportunities are up. So he’s balancing that.”
While the decision to send Dhoni at No.7 instead of No.9 was inspired by CSK sensing a chance to win the match against RR, in the end, it wasn’t enough. Fleming, however, has no qualms that Dhoni remains “too valuable” to the franchise and his entry point will be largely after 13-14 overs.
“I said it last year [as well], he’s too valuable to us – leadership and wicket-keeping – to throw him in nine-ten overs. He has actually never done that. So, look, from around 13-14 overs, he’s looking to go depending on who’s in.”
How Dhoni’s late entry points have handicapped CSK
This has severely compromised CSK’s chasing ability. Their batting is already seen as a weakness, with no established finisher in the middle order. Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar and Ravindra Jadeja are good players, but can they consistently finish games? Based on past performances, that doesn’t seem like the best bet. In this scenario, Dhoni—still a proven finisher with a solid strike rate at 43—remains one of CSK’s best options. However, his late entry points have undoubtedly impacted his effectiveness.
Here’s some food for thought: Dhoni hasn’t hit a single boundary in a successful chase since the Impact Player rule was introduced. This suggests CSK avoids sending him in when the result is certain. And in the rare instances he’s batted in live chases, he hasn’t been able to finish the job.