CSK Head Coach Stephen Fleming Explains ‘Why Doesn’t MS Dhoni Walk Out to Bat Earlier?’

It’s a question that keeps popping up season after season: Why doesn’t MS Dhoni walk out to bat earlier? Once again, in IPL 2025, we’ve seen him come in only for the final few deliveries, leaving many wondering if he’s holding himself back.

After Chennai Super Kings suffered their second consecutive loss, this time to Rajasthan Royals, head coach Stephen Fleming gave some clarity. “It’s a time thing. MS judges it,” he explained. “His body is… his knees aren’t what they used to be. And he’s moving okay, but there’s still an attrition aspect to it. He can’t bat ten overs running full stick. So he will gauge on the day what he can give us.” That much was clear in CSK’s game against Rajasthan. Dhoni came in when his side needed 54 off 25 balls. Not long ago, that scenario would have had fans expecting a classic Dhoni finish. But this time, he struggled. He looked his age. And ultimately, he couldn’t get CSK over the line. 

For years, Dhoni built his legend around his ability to take a chase deep and then deliver the knockout punch when the bowler cracked. He wasn’t just a big hitter – he was a strategist, someone who could break down a chase like no one else. But lately, he’s still taking it to the end, just not in the way he used to. 

Since 2023, CSK’s batting strategy has meant that when they chase successfully, Dhoni barely gets a hit. He’s usually come out when the result was beyond doubt and has scored just 3 runs off 9 balls in those instances. But in games where CSK have lost chasing, he has had to step up, scoring 166 runs off 84 deliveries in six innings. Even against Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this season, Dhoni was pushed way down the order, coming in at No. 9 – after R Ashwin. 

The way teams are setting up against him is also a factor. On Sunday, Rajasthan Royals played their cards smartly. They brought in Maheesh Theekshana in the 18th over when CSK needed 45 off 18. Theekshana gave away just six runs, and with spin not being Dhoni’s preferred matchup, the game slipped further away. With Dhoni, Jadeja, and Ashwin forming CSK’s lower order, the team is now missing that explosive power-hitting in the final overs – something they tried to fix by bringing in Jamie Overton for Sam Curran. 

But despite all the chatter around his batting position, there’s no question that Dhoni remains an invaluable asset to CSK. “He’s too valuable to us – leadership and wicket-keeping – to throw him in nine-ten overs. He has actually never done that,” Fleming said. “So, look, from around 13-14 overs, he’s looking to go depending on who’s in.” 

At the end of the day, MS Dhoni has given cricket fans more unforgettable moments than almost any other player. His influence on CSK goes beyond just his batting—he’s still the sharpest mind on the field, still one of the fastest glovemen behind the stumps, and still the face of the IPL. Whatever happens, he’s earned the right to decide when to call time on his career. And when he does, he’ll leave behind a legacy that no one will ever replicate. 

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