“Watch Him Bat Like This…”: Former India Star’s Heartbreaking Insight on MS Dhoni’s Poor Performance

Chennai Super Kings veteran MS Dhoni‘s performance is once again under scrutiny. Dhoni, once regarded as one of the greatest finishers in the world, is struggling to replicate his past magic in the ongoing season. During the recent loss to Delhi Capitals, Dhoni remained unbeaten on 30 runs off 26 balls as CSK failed to chase down the target of 184 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday. Dhoni came out to bat when CSK needed 110 runs off 57 balls. However, his slow partnership with Vijay Shankar (69*) led to CSK’s third defeat of the season.

Following the loss, Dhoni faced heavy criticism for his poor strike rate and lack of intent. Many fans even urged the former India captain to retire from the IPL to make way for a younger player.

When asked about whether Dhoni should retire, former India batter Wasim Jaffer agreed.

“Yes, if he is not captaining the team, then watching him (bat) like this hurts a little,” said Jaffer on ESPNCricinfo.

CSK has lost three out of four matches in the ongoing season. Two of these defeats came at their home ground, Chepauk, and the five-time champions are desperately seeking a chance to turn their fortunes around in the tournament.

“For the last few games, things haven’t gone our way. We are trying to improve and giving our best, but it’s just not happening. We are definitely losing too many wickets. (Powerplay) It’s a major concern, even in the bowling department. We are conceding 15-20 extra runs or losing too many wickets. We are trying, but it’s just not working. (On the team’s struggles) I think we are slightly overconcerned or tentative when it comes to bowling in the powerplay. With the bat, you don’t want to lose an extra wicket, but it’s about being positive,” said CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad after the loss to DC.

“Since the powerplay, we were always playing catch-up. We were too far behind, and we only had one batter left. DC bowled really well and used the conditions effectively. Even when Shivam (Dube) was batting, we were looking for momentum, but it just didn’t happen,” he added.

CSK will now face Punjab Kings on Tuesday in Mullanpur for their next IPL 2025 match.