IPL 2018: What should MS Dhoni do to have a successful campaign this year
MS Dhoni is a legend of the game, he is one of the best captains and definitely one of the best finishers in the world. But MS Dhoni isn't the same batsman as he used to be. All the cricket commentators and experts have stated that MSD needs to come in at no.4 or no.5.
In the last couple of years, it has been observed that Dhoni has struggled in his first few balls, he has been able to hit boundaries only after facing 15-20 balls.
Here, we will be looking at 3 things Dhoni must do to succeed in this season.
#1 Rotation of strike
MS Dhoni hasn't been able to rotate strike on a frequent basis in his first 10-15 balls. He has to improve on this aspect of his game to succeed this year. He has been accumulating a lot of dot balls which adds pressure on his batting partner. His strike rate in IPL last season was only 116.
In IPL 2016 and 2017, he was at his best when he batted at no.4 and no.5 with his strike rates higher than 135 at both the positions whereas his strike rate at no.6 was a very poor 91. These stats tell us that Dhoni needs time to settle in before attacking the bowlers. Dhoni has looked clueless on most occasions while facing his first 10-15 balls.
Even if Dhoni doesn't bat at no.4, he must ensure that he rotates the strike on a frequent basis and doesn't build pressure on his partner. If he comes in to bat at no.4 and gives himself time to settle in, he will definitely succeed this year.