Will MS Dhoni revamp his role for MI vs CSK? Irfan Pathan says no, here’s why

Sunday brings the big fixture in IPL 2024. A total of 10 league titles split evenly between them, Mumbai Indians host the Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium.

With two crucial points for the taking, can the CSK faithfuls expect MS Dhoni to come up the batting order as he did in their last game against Kolkata Knight Riders to see through a seven-wicket win at Chepauk? Former CSK and India all-rounder Irfan Pathan reckons it is highly unusual.

“The expectation will be there. However, he is a 42-year-old MS Dhoni. We still say that he is young because he has maintained himself like that. The way he used to come earlier after 10 to 11 overs, he used to drive, set up, and then finish the game,” Pathan told Star Sports.

“He has given himself a small role now where he comes to bat in the last two to three overs and plays big shots. So I don’t see it happening. However, if it happens, it’s better for everyone, including the fans,” he added.

Dhoni has 39 runs to his name this season, 37 of which he amassed against the Delhi Capitals in Visakhapatnam, coming in to bat at eight. The suggestion for the former India captain to promote himself up in the order has garnered interest from the likes of Michael Clarke and Steve Smith.

“Let’s get him up the order. I think he did not miss the middle of the bat. That was just incredible to witness. I think Jadeja, throughout the other end, was actually struggling to find the middle. They bowled really well to him but MS got there on strike. Obviously, in his first ball to the boundary and then from there, he just barely missed the middle of the bat. It was great to watch and I think the fans want to see him getting up the order and keep doing it more often,” Smith had said after Dhoni’s innings against DC.

Having scored in access of 400 runs in the 2018 and 2019 season, Dhoni hasn’t been able to cross the 250 mark in any of the following seasons and has batted lower down the order.

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Sunday’s fixture would mark the first time since 2013, neither Dhoni nor Rohit Sharma will captain either of the teams – having done so on all the occasions they’ve won the title. While CSK sit third in the points table with three wins from five games, MI are seventh after having won back to back games to recover from a nightmarish start to the season.

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