Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman MS Dhoni has been batting lower down the order and playing a finisher role for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the current season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Swatting the loose balls with aplomb, the veteran cricketer has maintained a strike rate of 224.48 this season, registering 110 runs in nine innings.
The former CSK skipper is currently 42-years-old and this could also be his swansong season. Hailing the veteran cricketer for his important role in the team, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming pointed out that it was a tough job to manage the former India captain’s workload due to his age.
“We are managing his workload. It’s risky and we have seen that early on in the season with a little bit of muscle injury, that if he bats too long, we run the risk of losing him. So don’t underestimate his influence on the team just because he comes in at number nine,” said Fleming.
“There is a timing aspect, but we are very wary of what he can give us and we will max that out, but we don’t want to max it out where we lose him. So it’s a delicate balance,” the former New Zealand great added.