MS Dhoni’s late entry at No. 9 in Chennai Super King’s 50-run loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru has sparked debate.
Despite an unbeaten 30 off 16, his arrival came too late to influence the result.
With CSK collapsing in their 196-run chase, many fans and experts have questioned whether Dhoni’s batting position was a waste of his firepower and if CSK should have promoted their legendary finisher.
RCB’s win at Chepauk was their first in 17 years, has added to the frustration.
‘Not ideal for the team’: Experts lash out
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan took to X and slammed the decision, writing, "I will never be in favour of Dhoni batting at number 9. Not ideal for the team."
Former Australian cricketer Shane Watson was equally blunt.
Speaking on JioStar, he said Dhoni’s form demands more responsibility, not less. "This is exactly what CSK fans come to see -- 30 off 16 deliveries from Dhoni. I would have absolutely loved to see him come up with the order. In my opinion, he should have batted ahead of Ashwin," Watson said.
He argued that Dhoni’s consistent striking form over the past two years makes his demotion baffling.
"Given the game situation, Dhoni could have played like this for another 15 balls. Over the last couple of years, he has consistently shown that he's still batting beautifully. I truly believe he should be promoted up the order so we can see the full extent of his skills."
Robin Uthappa, another former CSK batter, called it a self-inflicted blow. "Dhoni coming at number 9 didn’t make sense at all. Him coming earlier could have helped CSK’s NRR in their campaign this year."
While some were scathing, others were sarcastic.
During a Cricbuzz panel discussion, Virender Sehwag took a dig at Dhoni’s usual batting routine. "Jaldi aa gaye na (He came out to bat early)," Sehwag quipped.
Former India batter Manoj Tiwary, who was part of the discussion, added, "When he came, 16 overs were bowled. Usually, he comes in the 19th or 20th over, so he came out to bat early, didn't he? Either he came out to bat early, or his batters lost wickets far too quickly."
Cricket analyst Aakash Chopra spoke about the lack of logic in the decision.
"CSK fans really love the sight of Dhoni walking into the middle and smashing sixes. But CSK fans must also want their team to win. And with the kind of hitting form that Dhoni has shown off-late, it’s only logical to expect him to give himself enough time to win games for CSK. Ashwin ahead of Dhoni vs RCB didn’t make sense."
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle summed it up in just a few words: "Dhoni at no 9?"
But fans were divided. Some called out the decision as a sign that Dhoni is past his prime, while others defended their talisman.
One user on X wrote, "As an Indian cricket fan from the 90s, I have huge respect for Dhoni for leading us to what we dreamt of for a long time – the ODI WC. But if you're having to/opting to bat below Ashwin when your team needs 14 runs/over, it’s time to call it quits & give someone else a chance to excel."
Another hit back at the growing criticism. "CSK fans turning on Dhoni after a few losses? Unbelievable. RCB has had tough seasons too, but we’ve never disrespected Kohli or ABD. Loyalty isn’t just about winning, it’s about standing by your legends. RCB Fans > CSK Fans any day!"
Dhoni had already addressed this controversy before the IPL season even began. In an interview with JioHotstar, he revealed why he bats lower down the order — and it had nothing to do with form.
Dhoni explained that he wants to give younger players like Shivam Dube more opportunities to bat higher, boosting their chances of making the T20 World Cup squad.
“If you see, there was a problem in my knee, but it was more manageable than anything else last year. Also, there was a selection for the T20 World Cup. If you look at our team, who were the contenders? Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) was among the contenders, and Shivam Dube was among the contenders, so you obviously want to give them a chance. I don't want to get selected. I am not competing for that place,” Dhoni said.
Even as the debate rages on, Dhoni broke another record. With his 30-run knock, he surpassed Suresh Raina to become CSK's highest run-getter, amassing 4,699 runs in 204 innings.