Why promoting Dhoni up the order won’t work for CSK

Chennai: Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s spirited 37-run knock against Delhi Capitals has sparked questions among the fans and cricket pundits about whether he should bat up the order for the rest of the season.

Given the depth CSK has in terms of batting, it was known by many that they wouldn’t see him bat regularly like they used to.

But his quick-fire innings on Sunday against DC have shown the vintage Dhoni for which the fans know him. This led to talks circulating about whether Dhoni should be promoted up the order.

There are a lot of reasons why that wouldn’t work out. Given the fact that CSK has a solid top-order, which has proved to be successful, it is unlikely for the management and Gaikwad to think about shuffling the batting.

Another reason this idea won’t work is the fact that he (Dhoni) comes into this season after knee surgery and was limping after the game against DC. So, even though he is still quick between the wickets, batting up the order might put further strain on him.

He is known to be a finisher, and with the prowess he showed against DC where he smacked some power-hitting shots all around. He can prove to be a worthy finisher and help win a few games by playing the finisher role.