The Indian legend has come out to bat only for a few balls in every inning.
M.S. Dhoni, the icon of fitness and power, has been coming to bat very low in every innings giving rise to speculations about his fitness and potential injury concerns. Considering the sheer amount of power the wicket keeper has showcased this season, many are left wondering why is he not batting for longer?
Stephen Fleming, the CSK Head Coach recently revealed that the reason behind sending M.S. Dhoni so late in the innings is to protect him from potential injuries.
He said, “We’re managing his workload. It’s risky and we’ve seen that early on in the season with a little bit of muscle injury, that if he bats too long, we run the risk of losing him. So we’re trying to find that balance where he can have an impact on the match by just hitting sixes and fours, which he’s done pretty well and keep as well as some of the best in the competition, if not the best in the competition.”
The decision to shield M.S. Dhoni is one that has faced criticism from all quarters. Many are wondering if he is not fit enough, why is he even playing the game still?
The spin legend Harbhajan Singh also weighed into the debate. He said that MS Dhoni shouldn’t be a part of the team if he wants to bat at number 9. He also argued that including a fast bowler rather than him in the XI is a better choice for CSK. Being the decision maker, he feels that M.S. Dhoni has disappointed his team by not coming out to bat.
These comments by Harbhajan Singh came on Star Sports after M.S. Dhoni, or Thala as his fans call him, came out to bat at No. 9 against PBKS.
So while M.S. Dhoni is not nursing any injury at the moment, the team plans to keep him shielded from any possible injuries and maximise his use as much as possible in the short span of deliveries he will be facing each innings.
Namit Pandey