Here’s why MS Dhoni can’t bat up the order
CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said Dhoni cannot be promoted in the batting order as his recovery from a knee injury has restricted his ability to wield the willow for long periods
MS Dhoni is batting like a dream in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 which undoubtedly is one of the best things this season. Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are among the top four teams on the points tally while their former captain is turning the clock repeatedly, sending the fans into a frenzy. He has batted in just 5 innings in the ongoing edition and accumulated 87 runs. But his staggering strike rate – 255.88 – is something that has been talked about. He mostly walks out to bat when there are just a few deliveries left in the innings. But the way plays in that limited period is simply magical.
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So far, Dhoni has smashed 8 sixes in the tournament and 7 boundaries. Since he has been striking the ball so cleanly, there is an anticipation to watch him bat up in the order, play more deliveries and hammer some more big sixes. But the CSK management doesn’t want to risk his fitness as the former CSK captain is already dealing with a knee issue and has often been spotted limping.
On Friday, Dhoni smashed a 9-ball 28 not-out, taking CSK to 176/6 against the Lucknow Super Giants. However, his blitzkrieg wasn’t enough for the defending champions to cross the finish line as the hosts won by 8 wickets.
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Addressing the post-match presser in Lucknow, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming said Dhoni cannot be promoted in the batting order as his recovery from a knee injury has restricted his ability to wield the willow for long periods. The few balls that Dhoni is getting to face in this IPL season, Fleming said he is simply ‘owing that space’.
“It’s inspirational, isn’t it? His batting this year even in training has been very crisp. The team isn’t surprised with what he is doing because his skill level during the pre-season was very high. Other years he has obviously had problems with his knee and he is sort of recovering from that which is why there is only a certain amount of balls he can function well,” Fleming said.
“I think everyone wants to see him for longer as we do but that amount of time is about right. We need him for the tournament and that 2-3 over cameo he is owning that space.
“It’s up to the rest of the batting unit to get us to a good position where he can push us over the top. He is doing that pretty much every time at the moment which is great to watch,” Fleming said at the post-match press conference,” he added.
Fleming further said Dhoni remains the franchise’s heartbeat and that they are ‘enjoying every minute’ of his presence as the fans shower him with love and adulation across venues.
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“What an amazing atmosphere when he comes out and does play and entertain, it’s exhilarating,” Fleming observed.
“We are incredibly proud of what he has achieved. We marvel at the amount of love that he gets. It’s no surprise with what he has done with Indian cricket and with CSK with us. We are incredibly proud that he is a part of our side and is pretty much the heartbeat of the side. We thoroughly enjoy it.
“We know we are beneficiaries of the career that he has had and is having. We enjoy every minute of it,” the head coach said.
(With Agency Inputs)
