The defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have kicked off their IPL 2024 campaign with two wins and a loss in their first three matches. Under the leadership of the new captain Ruduraj, CSK secured victories in their initial fixtures but faced a setback against Delhi in their third encounter. However, amidst the defeat, CSK fans found solace in the remarkable performance of their veteran player, M.S. Dhoni.
At the age of over 42, Dhoni, who has been contemplating retirement, made a significant impact in the match against Delhi. Batting at number 8, Dhoni’s unbeaten knock of 37 runs off just 16 balls, including 4 fours and 3 sixes, demonstrated his enduring prowess with the bat. Despite CSK’s loss, the fans celebrated Dhoni’s stellar display at a staggering 128 decibels, overlooking the defeat.
However, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull took a critical stance on Dhoni’s performance despite the celebratory atmosphere among the CSK faithful. Doull, speaking on Cricbuzz Web, questioned Dhoni’s approach in the tournament, particularly emphasizing the number of dot balls he faced.
“I know there is a lot of praise for Dhoni’s innings. But he kept a lot of balls off the bat,” Doull remarked. “He faced a lot of dot balls without scoring runs. I couldn’t believe how he stopped the run like that.”
Doull’s critique centered on Dhoni’s decision-making during the match, suggesting that his approach was overly cautious and lacked the aggression required to chase down the target set by Delhi. Doull argued that despite Dhoni’s stature in the cricketing world, his decision to accumulate dot balls was poor, especially when the team’s objective was to secure a victory.
“His decision not to make those runs was poor. Because even then you are trying to win the competition,” Doull continued. “When he doesn’t score, it doesn’t look good from my point of view.”
While acknowledging Dhoni’s greatness, Doull expressed his disagreement with the approach taken by the veteran cricketer in that particular situation. Despite the celebrations among CSK fans, Doull’s critique raises pertinent questions about Dhoni’s role in the team and his approach to batting, especially in critical moments of the game.
As CSK prepares to face Hyderabad in their fourth match at their home ground, all eyes will be on Dhoni to see if he can address the criticisms and lead his team to another victory in the IPL 2024 season.