MS Dhoni’s Batting Position at No. 9 Sparks Criticism During IPL 2025 Match Against RCB
Former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni batting at No. 9 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) during their IPL 2025 match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) drew criticism from fans and former players. Chasing a target of 197, CSK struggled to maintain control as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Dhoni came out to bat in the 16th over after the fall of the seventh wicket, a surprising decision given that Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin had batted ahead of him. By the time Dhoni arrived at the crease, the match was nearly out of CSK’s reach.
Former Indian cricketers Robin Uthappa and Irfan Pathan expressed their dissatisfaction with Dhoni’s batting position. Uthappa tweeted, "Important win for RCB. A win at the fortress in Chepauk will be a huge boost in their campaign this year. 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." Pathan also chimed in, stating, "I will never be in favour of Dhoni batting at number 9. Not ideal for the team."
RCB’s victory was powered by skipper Rajat Patidar‘s crucial fifty and a disciplined bowling performance, as they ended a 17-year winless streak at Chepauk with a commanding 50-run win. After posting a competitive total of 196/7, RCB’s bowlers struck early and often, restricting CSK to 146/8. This marked CSK’s first defeat to RCB in the "Southern Derby" at their home ground since the inaugural IPL season in 2008.
The significance of the win was evident from the broad smile on Virat Kohli‘s face, the only player in the current RCB squad who was part of the 2008 victory. RCB’s success was a result of a balanced approach—aggressive batting and consistent wicket-taking—while CSK’s lack of fight in the chase was surprising.
(With PTI inputs)
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