NEW DELHI: Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan expressed bewilderment at Chennai Super Kings' decision to persistently utilize veteran batter MS Dhoni in a lower batting order position, despite his solid form and the team's fluctuating match situations.
During CSK's encounter against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala, Pathan observed Dhoni entering the fray as low as No. 9, with just eight balls remaining in their innings, a move that left him perplexed.
"I know that he is 42, but he is in solid form. He should be taking the responsibility of batting up the order. He should bat for at least four to five overs," Pathan remarked on Star Sports.
Pathan emphasized the need for Dhoni to assume a more prominent batting role, particularly earlier in the innings, rather than being confined to a brief cameo in the final overs. "He is batting for the last over or last 2 overs and that doesn’t serve the purpose for CSK for a long term," Pathan added.
Dhoni's dismissal for a golden duck further underscored the questionable decision-making regarding his batting position. Pathan highlighted the significance of Dhoni's contributions, especially in critical match scenarios, urging CSK to reassess their strategy and optimize Dhoni's batting potential.
Acknowledging Dhoni's impact in previous matches, Pathan stressed the necessity for a proactive approach in utilizing his expertise, especially considering CSK's playoff aspirations.
"When the team needed him, you can’t send Shardul Thakur ahead of yourself. They need to work out something; someone has to tell Dhoni, 'Come on mate, bat for four overs'," Pathan added.
1/10:IPL: Chennai Super Kings end five-match losing streak against Punjab Kings
AFP
2/10:Jadeja on-song
<p>Ravindra Jadeja put in an all-round performance to help Chennai Super Kings beat Punjab Kings by 28 runs in the Indian Premier League on Sunday.<br /></p>AFP
3/10:Jadeja stars with both bat and ball
<p>Jadeja scored 43 runs off 26 balls to anchor Chennai’s innings to 167-9 and then took 3-20 in four overs to help restrict Punjab's chase to 139-9.<br /></p>AP
4/10:A win after 1,115 days
<p>It was only Chennai’s second win in the last five games, and also ended its five-match losing streak against Punjab.<br /></p>PTI
5/10:Chahar shines
<p>Put into bat, Chennai lost Ajinkya Rahane (9) early. Ruturaj Gaikwad (32) and Daryl Mitchell (30) put on 57 off 32 balls for the second wicket. Wrist spinner Rahul Chahar then took 3-23 in four overs to restrict the visiting side. He dismissed Gaikwad and then big-hitting Shivam Dube for a golden duck.<br /></p>AFP
6/10:Jadeja rescue act
<p>As Sam Curran dismissed Moeen Ali for 17, Chennai were reduced to 101 for 5 in 12.4 overs. Jadeja then guided Chennai to a challenging total on a two-paced wicket. He hit three fours and two sixes, while Harshal Patel’s death spell didn’t allow excess run-scoring.<br /></p>AFP
7/10:No Dhoni show
<p>MS Dhoni batted at No. 9 — for the first time – and Harshal Patel bowled him for a golden duck.<br /></p>ANI
8/10:A shaky start
<p>In reply, Punjab’s top order crumbled. Tushar Deshpande dismissed Jonny Bairstow (7) and Rilee Rossouw for a three-ball duck in the space of four balls. Impact player Prabhsimran Singh scored 30 off 23 balls, and along with Shashank Singh’s 20-ball 27 helped rebuild the innings from 9-2.<br /></p>PTI
9/10:Bowlers rise to the occasion
<p>Jadeja didn’t allow the middle order to get away, sending back Singh as well as Curran (7). Pacer Simarjeet came on as impact sub and took 2-16 in three overs as Punjab’s chase never looked a threat. Shardul Thakur and Mitchell Santner took a wicket each. <br /></p>AFP
