The debate over MS Dhoni’s batting position in Chennai Super Kings’ recent IPL 2025 clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru has sparked discussions among cricket experts. While former players like Irfan Pathan, Robin Uthappa and Aakash Chopra have raised concerns over Dhoni coming in at No. 9, Virender Sehwag has approached the topic with his signature humour.
During a cricket show, Virender Sehwag joked that Dhoni actually arrived at the crease earlier than usual. He pointed out that while the legendary wicketkeeper-batter typically comes in during the 19th or 20th over, this time, he walked in during the 16th over, making it an “early” arrival. He further remarked that either Dhoni was sent in ahead of schedule or CSK’s top-order collapsed too quickly.
According to Virender Sehwag, CSK seems to have a set strategy where Dhoni is assigned a limited number of deliveries and no matter how the game unfolds, he usually makes his way to the crease around the 17th or 18th over. While many may debate this approach, Virender Sehwag wasn’t surprised, as it has been the norm for some time now.
Despite Dhoni’s unbeaten 30 off 16 balls, his late entry did little to change the outcome of the match, as CSK fell short of chasing RCB’s 197-run target. Interestingly, even Ravichandran Ashwin was sent ahead of the former captain, further fueling discussions about whether the team should be more flexible with Dhoni’s batting order.
When asked if MS Dhoni should reconsider his approach, Sehwag shrugged off the question, saying his stance has remained unchanged for years. He recalled how, even during Dhoni’s international career, he had advocated for him to bat at No. 4. However, Dhoni had maintained his preference for batting lower down the order and Virender Sehwag believes that at this stage of his career, such strategies are unlikely to change. Even if Dhoni had come in earlier against RCB, Virender Sehwag doubts it would have made much of a difference, given the way the opposition was playing.
With Dhoni nearing the end of his illustrious career, discussions about his batting position continue but as Virender Sehwag suggests, some things are just not meant to change.
