"There are only a certain amount of balls he can function well"- CSK coach Stephen Fleming on why MS Dhoni doesn't bat higher in IPL 2024
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming gave his reasoning behind legendary wicketkeeper-batter and former captain MS Dhoni not batting higher up the order in the IPL 2024 season.
Dhoni lit up the Ekana Stadium with his sensational hitting against the Lucknow Super Gitans (LSG) on Friday as he smashed 28* off just nine balls. However, a debate has arisen as to why the former CSK captain's entry point couldn't be earlier to have a bigger impact on the game.
Speaking to the reporters after the game, Stephen Fleming said longevity was one of the main reasons for MS Dhoni walking out to bat with just 2-3 overs remaining.
"Other years, he (Dhoni) had a problem with his knee and he is still recovering, which is why there are only a certain amount of balls he can function well. I think everyone wants to see him for longer as we do, but that amount of time is right; we need him for the tournament. That 2-3 over cameo, he is owning that space," Fleming said.
Fleming added that no one in the CSK camp was surprised to see Dhoni perform the way he has been, as they have seen him hit the ball well in the nets despite not playing competitive cricket for a long time.
Stephen Fleming on the reception MS Dhoni gets
MS Dhoni, be it home or away, gets a sensational reception from the crowd, and Stephen Fleming can only marvel at the fact. He feels Dhoni has been doing a fantastic job as a finisher and instead of asking him to bat higher, other batters should take more responsibility to build that platform for him.
On this, Fleming said:
"It is up to the rest of the batting unit to get us sort of in a good position where he can push us over the top and he is doing that pretty much every time at the moment, which is great to watch and what an amazing atmosphere when he comes out and entertains. We are incredibly proud of what he has achieved and we marvel at the amount of love that he gets."
Dhoni has faced just 34 balls in IPL 2024 so far but has scored 87 runs at a sensational strike rate of 255.88. A brilliant 82 from KL Rahul denied CSK a win against LSG as the hosts won comfortably by eight wickets on Friday.