What is MS Dhoni's best batting position in IPL?
MS Dhoni is one of the most successful cricketers in IPL history. The wicketkeeper-batter joined the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in 2008 and has been a part of the team in every season they have played. When CSK received a two-year suspension, Dhoni represented the Rising Pune Supergiant franchise.
In all, MS Dhoni has played 255 matches in his IPL career, aggregating 5,121 runs in 221 innings. Notably, the CSK wicketkeeper-batter has remained unbeaten on 90 occasions. He has registered 42 thirties and 24 half-centuries, with his highest score being 84*.
Of late, Dhoni has preferred batting down the order. He allows every batter and all-rounder in the match squad to go ahead of him. One of the reasons behind it is that the CSK wicketkeeper has retired from international cricket now. He only plays in the IPL, which is why he prefers to go out at a lower number.
Fans are always eager to witness Dhoni bat in the middle. Quite a few members of the cricket universe feels that the CSK wicketkeeper bats too low. In this article, we will look at the batting positions where Dhoni has performed the best in his IPL career.
MS Dhoni has scored the most runs while batting at #5 in his IPL career
The position where Dhoni has achieved the highest success in the IPL is at number five. The Chennai Super Kings star has batted at this position in 72 innings, scoring 1,950 runs. His batting average at this number has been 47.56, while his strike rate has been 144.34.
Dhoni has hit 24 fifties in his IPL career, and 11 of them have come at number five. He has batted 72 times at this position, meaning he scores a half-century once in almost every sixth innings.
MS Dhoni achieved his career-best IPL score while batting at number 6
Although the majority of Dhoni's top batting performances have come at number five, his career-best IPL score of 84* came at number six. It was in a league-stage match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2019. Dhoni fought like a lone warrior for CSK in a run-chase of 162 and scored 84 off 48.
Unfortunately for CSK fans, Dhoni's best knock for the team ended in a losing cause as RCB won that game by one run. Overall, Dhoni has scored 950 runs in 48 innings at number six.
MS Dhoni has the best average and strike rate at number 8 in IPL
Dhoni never batted at number eight in the first 15 seasons of his IPL career. In 2023, he walked out to bat at number eight for the first time against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium and smashed an unbeaten eight-ball 14.
So far, Dhoni has batted seven times at number eight and scored a total of 118 runs at an average of 59 and a strike rate of 210.71. Considering the success that Dhoni has achieved at this position, the wicketkeeper himself and the CSK team management would prefer using him in this role in IPL 2024.