Most of Dhoni’s runs came when matches were out of reach: Aakash
MS Dhoni, the former Indian captain and current captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), has been under scrutiny for his team’s dismal performance in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. With his team struggling to win matches, former Indian batter Aakash Chopra has questioned Dhoni’s impact on the team’s performance.
In an interview, Chopra opined that most of Dhoni’s runs in the IPL have come when the matches were already out of reach. He pointed out that Dhoni has consistently batted at position seven or lower in every single innings over the last couple of seasons. Additionally, he has batted at positions eight or nine about 45% of the time during this period.
Chopra’s comments have sparked debate among cricket fans and experts, with some defending Dhoni’s role in the team and others questioning his ability to lead the team to victory. Dhoni, who has been a successful captain throughout his career, has a reputation for being an astute tactician and a finisher extraordinaire. However, his recent form has been a cause for concern, with many questioning his ability to lead the team to victory.
Dhoni’s batting has been a key aspect of his game, and he has consistently delivered under pressure. However, Chopra’s comments suggest that his batting has been more about adding runs to the total rather than winning matches for the team. This has led to questions about his role in the team and whether he is still the right man to lead CSK to success.
It’s worth noting that Dhoni has been facing stiff competition from younger players in the IPL, with many teams opting for more aggressive and innovative batting approaches. His style of batting, which was once considered innovative and aggressive, has become more conservative and defensive in recent years.
Chopra’s comments have also raised questions about Dhoni’s ability to adapt to changing circumstances. As a captain and a batter, Dhoni has always been known for his ability to adapt to different situations and opponents. However, his recent performances have been criticized for being too defensive and lackluster.
Dhoni’s team, CSK, has struggled to win matches in the ongoing IPL season, and his batting has been a key aspect of their struggles. While he has still managed to score runs, his batting has been criticized for being too slow and defensive. This has led to questions about his ability to lead the team to victory and whether he is still the right man to captain CSK.
In conclusion, Chopra’s comments have sparked debate about Dhoni’s impact on CSK’s performance. While Dhoni has been a successful captain and batter throughout his career, his recent form has been a cause for concern. His batting has been criticized for being too defensive and slow, and his ability to adapt to changing circumstances has been questioned. As CSK looks to turn their season around, Dhoni’s role in the team will be closely watched, and his ability to lead the team to victory will be put to the test.
