Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming explained that sending MS Dhoni up the batting order midway through the innings is not a viable option due to his age and past knee injuries. The veteran wicketkeeper-batter came in at No.7 during CSK’s run chase against the Rajasthan Royals at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati, with four overs left in the game.
At the time, CSK was struggling with a high required run rate when Dhoni joined Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. He had previously impressed with a late cameo while batting at No.9 in CSK’s home loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday. However, he was unable to replicate that impact in the final moments against RR.
Dhoni struck a couple of boundaries to keep CSK in contention but was dismissed for 16 off 11 balls by Sandeep Sharma on the first delivery of the final over. Stephen Fleming acknowledged that Dhoni’s ongoing knee concerns make it unrealistic for him to play a lengthy innings.
“Yeah, it’s a time thing. 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 10 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,” Fleming said during the post-match press conference (via Hindustan Times).
“He’s too important for us” – CSK coach Stephen Fleming on safeguarding Dhoni from promotion
There is a high possibility that excessive exertion could take a toll on MS Dhoni’s body in the later stages of his career. To prevent this, CSK is being cautious, recognizing that Dhoni’s value extends beyond batting. Fleming emphasized that his wicketkeeping and leadership are crucial, making him an asset the team isn’t willing to risk.
“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,” Fleming added.
CSK’s next match is against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, April 5, in an afternoon fixture.
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