In a departure from his usual batting position, MS Dhoni found himself at No. 9 for the first time in his T20 career during the IPL 2024 match against Punjab Kings. However, this move didn’t go as planned as he was dismissed for a golden duck. Dhoni, known for his role as a finisher for CSK this season, typically comes to bat with just a few overs remaining. In this particular match, he allowed both Mitchell Santner and Shardul Thakur to bat ahead of him before entering the crease in the 19th over. Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh expressed his dissatisfaction with this decision, suggesting that if Dhoni is to continue batting so low in the order, CSK should consider adding another pacer to their squad instead.
GOLDEN DUCK FOR MS DHONI. pic.twitter.com/3za39f6ASe
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 5, 2024
“MS Dhoni shouldn’t play if he wants to bat at the number 9 slot. It is better to include a fast bowler than him in the playing XI. He is the decision-maker and has let down his team by not coming out to bat.”
