Last Updated on 1 month ago by Charbel Coorey
MS Dhoni’s batting position in the last few editions of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been the talk of the town. The former Indian captain, who used to hit those big sixes and finish tricky chases, now comes to bat only for a maximum of five or six deliveries.
South African legend AB de Villiers, on IPL Today Live, said, “It is very tricky and not straightforward. Brands are built over years, and CSK have built this empire over many years with this MS Dhoni figure that has always been there. You mention CSK, you immediately think about Dhoni
AB then talks about how Dhoni’s in the last few years has been only to keep the brand strong. “I feel that in the last few years, his role has been purely about keeping that brand as strong as possible. That’s why I don’t see a role for him batting at eight or nine and not really doing enough like last season,” he said, as quoted by Times of India.
Sanju Samson is the right guy to take over from MS Dhoni: AB de Villiers
De Villiers continued, “We know he can be impactful with the bat, but if he’s batting that low and not captaining, it feels like he’s almost just making up for a spot for the wrong reasons. There’s still a place for him, but he needs to bat higher, at least at six, maybe even at five or four at times.”
With talent like Kartik Sharma, Prashant Veer, Urvil Patel, Sarfaraz Khan in the mix for CSK, along with Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube, it’s a headache for the franchise to define Dhoni’s role in the side.
“I do feel Ruturaj and Sanju are the perfect players to take over from Dhoni. My only issue is when MS fits in and he’s not going to have that big impact batting at 4, 5, or 6 sometimes, then rather be out of the squad,” de Villiers said.
“Let someone else, who can maybe bowl and bat and have a bigger match impact in the game come in, and MS can almost sit on the side and mentor the guys.”
Mr. 360 concluded with, “It’s very tricky, but I think Sanju Samson is the right guy to take over, and credit to Dhoni because he’s hung around, waiting for the right person to come. If MS plays, I want him to put himself under more pressure and be the guy to handle those big moments.”
