Stephen Fleming, the head coach of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has shed light on why MS Dhoni is not being promoted higher up the batting order in the IPL 2024, citing a lingering knee injury as the reason. Despite being in exceptional form in recent matches, Dhoni has been restricted in his batting position due to this injury.
During the match against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Dhoni’s brief yet impactful cameo, which included 3 boundaries and 2 towering sixes in his unbeaten 28 off just 9 balls, impressed fans.
Fleming, speaking at the post-match press conference, praised Dhoni’s inspirational contributions on the field at the age of 42, highlighting his exceptional form since the team’s pre-season camp.
Fleming emphasized that Dhoni’s knee injury is a concern and explained that the team aims to utilize his batting prowess effectively within a limited number of overs per game to maximize his impact, a role Dhoni has executed brilliantly this season.
“He obviously had a problem with his knee, and he is still recovering from that, which is why there is only certain amount of balls against which he can function well. He almost seems for longer as we do, but there is time about the right, and we need him for the tournament and in the 2-3 over cameo, he is owning that space,” said the CSK head coach in the post match press conference.
MS Dhoni underwent knee surgery after the IPL 2023 and had not played professional cricket until this year’s tournament.
Despite the injury, Dhoni’s electrifying performances have enthralled crowds in both home and away matches, showcasing his vintage finishing skills. Fleming stressed the importance of other top-order batsmen stepping up to reduce the team’s reliance on Dhoni’s finishes.
In recent matches against Mumbai Indians and LSG, Dhoni’s contributions of 20 off 4 balls and 28 off 9 balls were pivotal in shaping CSK’s fortunes. However, despite Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja’s efforts in propelling CSK to a competitive total against LSG, the KL Rahul-led side managed to chase it down comfortably with 8 wickets in hand.
