The head coach of CSK, Stephen Fleming, revealed why MS Dhoni isn’t able to move up in the batting order.
In IPL 2024, MS Dhoni’s fan following has been off the charts. Every time he’s with the Chennai Super Kings, the crowd goes wild just to see him. In the match against Lucknow Super Giants, Dhoni walked in to bat in the last ball of the 18th over.
The 42-year-old ended up hitting an impressive 28 runs off just nine balls, including three fours and two sixes, which helped CSK reach a total of 176/6 in their 20 overs. However, despite their efforts, it wasn’t sufficient as LSG managed to chase down the target, reaching 180/2 in just 19 overs.
After the match, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming praised Dhoni’s batting performance and mentioned that he wasn’t surprised by it. “It’s inspirational, isn’t it? His batting this year, even in training, has been very impressive. The team isn’t surprised by what he’s doing because his skill level during the preseason was very high. In previous years, he had knee problems, and he’s still recovering from that, which is why there’s a limit to the number of balls he can handle well,” Fleming said.
Fleming elaborated on Dhoni’s role and highlighted his impact in brief appearances of ‘two-three overs’. “I think everyone wishes to see him play longer, as we do, but that duration is just about right. We need him throughout the tournament, and he’s owning that 2-3 over cameo role. It’s on the rest of the batting unit to set up a good position where he can finish strong for us. Currently, he’s doing that almost every time, which is fantastic to see,” Fleming stated.
Fleming praised Dhoni‘s overall impact, saying, “The atmosphere becomes electric when he steps out to play and entertain, it’s truly exhilarating. We’re immensely proud of his achievements and the love he receives. It’s no surprise considering what he’s accomplished for Indian cricket and CSK. We’re incredibly proud to have him on our team; he’s pretty much the heartbeat of the side. We thoroughly enjoy having him with us. We recognize that we’re benefiting from his remarkable career, and we savor every moment of it.”
In the match against MI, Dhoni’s innings made a significant impact yet again. He came in to bat in the final over of the first innings with just four deliveries left. Dhoni then hammered Hardik Pandya for three consecutive sixes followed by a double, propelling CSK to a total of 206/4 in their 20 overs. In the chase, MI managed to reach 186/6 in their 20 overs, with Dhoni’s performance proving to be the decisive factor in CSK’s victory.
