Title: Most of Dhoni’s runs came when matches were out of reach: Aakash
The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) has been a disappointing campaign for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with the team languishing at the bottom of the points table. Amidst the team’s struggles, former India batter Aakash Chopra has raised questions about the impact of CSK captain MS Dhoni on the team’s performance. Chopra, a well-known cricket analyst and commentator, believes that most of Dhoni’s runs in the IPL have come when the matches were already out of reach.
In a recent interview, Chopra pointed out that Dhoni has consistently batted at position seven or lower in every single innings over the last couple of seasons. He added that Dhoni has batted at positions eight or nine about 45% of the time during this period. Chopra argued that this trend suggests that Dhoni’s runs are often coming when the match is already beyond the team’s reach, rather than when the game is still in the balance.
Dhoni’s batting has been a topic of discussion in the cricketing world for some time now. While he is widely regarded as one of the greatest finishers in the game, his recent form has been under the microscope. In the 2025 IPL, Dhoni has scored 167 runs in 10 matches at a dismal average of 16.70. His strike rate has also been below par, standing at 105.13.
Chopra’s observations are based on the data from the last couple of seasons, during which Dhoni has batted in a variety of positions. In the 2022 IPL, Dhoni batted at number seven in 12 out of 16 matches, with a high score of 28. In the 2023 IPL, he batted at number eight in 10 out of 14 matches, with a high score of 22.
While Dhoni’s batting has often been criticized for being too slow, Chopra’s analysis suggests that there may be more to the story. The former India batter argues that Dhoni’s tendency to bat lower down the order may be a reflection of the team’s strategy, rather than his own personal form.
“Over the last couple of seasons, Dhoni has consistently batted at position seven or lower in every single innings,” Chopra said. “He has batted at positions eight or nine about 45% of the time during this period. This suggests that the team is relying on him to get a few runs at the end of the innings, rather than using him as a top-order batsman.”
Chopra’s comments have sparked a debate in the cricketing world, with some fans defending Dhoni’s batting and others questioning his ability to have a significant impact on the game. While Dhoni is widely regarded as one of the greatest captains in the game, his batting has often been criticized for being too slow and too predictable.
In conclusion, Aakash Chopra’s analysis suggests that most of MS Dhoni’s runs in the IPL have come when the matches were already out of reach. While Dhoni is still a highly respected figure in the cricketing world, his batting form has been under the microscope in recent times. As the CSK looks to turn their season around, it remains to be seen whether Dhoni will be able to find a way to contribute more significantly to the team’s success.
