Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s place in the Chennai Super Kings team has again come under scrutiny after the former India captain could not manage to drag CSK to victory over the Delhi Capitals in a 25-run defeat at home on Saturday. Dhoni scored an unbeaten 30 off 26 balls on Saturday, but Chennai suffered their third defeat in four games in IPL 2025. There was also some speculation whether Dhoni was on the verge of retiring since Dhoni’s parents and extended family were present at the Madras Cricket Club enclosure for the CSK vs DC game.
Dhoni had walked out to bat in CSK’s chase of 184 with the score reading 74/5. Chennai needed 110 off 56 deliveries with the asking rate standing a shade under 12. Despite batting with Vijay Shankar, who scored a half century, the veteran finisher could not help his team to victory.
Mumbai cricket stalwart Wasim Jaffer, when asked on ESPNCricinfo if Dhoni should relinquish his spot in the playing XI for a younger player, said: “Yes, if he is not captaining the team then to watch him (bat) like this hurts a little.”
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CSK coach Stephen Fleming was asked about Dhoni at the post-match press conference. He said: “He is still going strong and I don’t even ask him these days.”
So far in IPL 2025, the wicketkeeper-batter has managed to score just 76 runs in four innings with a highest score of 30*, which came against Delhi Capitals. He has also been criticised for coming down at No 9, behind Ravichandran Ashwin in the batting order in the game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season.
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When Fleming was asked earlier in the season why Dhoni was coming so low down the order, he had explained: “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 ten 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.”
