Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan criticised Chennai Super Kings' star player MS Dhoni after the player came out to bat at the number 9 spot during his side's match against Punjab Kings in IPL 2024 game on Sunday. In the match in Dharamsala, Dhoni batted at the number 9 spot for the first time in his T20 career and his innings ended with a golden duck as PBKS pacer Harshal Patel bowled him. Pathan opined that Dhoni should take the responsibility and come to bat up the order.
"MS Dhoni batting at No.9 doesn't work for CSK, it's doesn't help the team's cause. 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 4 to 5 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 told Star Sports as quoted by India Today.
Dhoni is having a superb season with the bat, scoring 110 across 7 innings at an average of average of 55 and a strike rate of 224.49.
"It might happen that we will see CSK qualify for the playoffs from here on and they need to win 90 percent of their games. As a proper senior guy, who's in form, he needs to bat up the order. He can't be doing the same thing that he has done on quite a few occasions," said Pathan.
"Yes, he made an impact against Mumbai, but here, when the team needed him, you can't send Shardul Thakur ahead of yourself. You can't see Dhoni batting at No.9. Sameer Rizvi was also padded up in the 15th over. They need to work out something; someone has to tell Dhoni, 'Come on mate, bat for 4 overs'," he added.