IPL 2022: Parthiv Patel Wants MS Dhoni To Open The Innings Amid CSK's Dismal Form
Published - 11 Apr 2022, 01:03 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 01:07 AM
Former Indian wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel wants Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stalwart MS Dhoni to bat in any of the top four positions in the team’s batting order. CSK under new skipper Ravindra Jadeja suffered their fourth straight loss in IPL 2022 after defeat from Kane Williamson-led Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday.
CSK’s new opening combination of Rutuaraj Gaikwad and Robin Uthappa hasn’t been at its best form this season. Ruturaj, who was the winner of the Orange Cap in CSK’s title triumph, has just managed to score 0,1,1 & 16 in his first four innings of the new season.
Meanwhile, Uthappa- the senior player- scored a brisk half-century against Lucknow Super Giants but hasn’t been consistent with runs. The 36-year-old scored 106 runs in four innings at an average of 26.5 and a strike rate of 153.62 in IPL 2022 so far.
MS Dhoni scored 92 runs in four innings in IPL 2022
Dhoni found form in the first couple of games against Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. The CSK wicketkeeper-batter scored 50 off 38 balls to push the team’s score to 131/5 in the IPL 2022 opener against KKR. Dhoni hit 16 of six balls, which included a boundary and a six, to take CSK past the 200-run mark against LSG in the second game.
MS Dhoni started his career as an opener, why not take the role at the fag-end of his career?: Parthiv Patel
Although Dhoni has never opened the innings in his prolonged IPL career but has batted seven times at No.3 and 65 times at No.4. Parthiv reckoned CSK’s iconic player to either open the innings or slot himself to bat at No,3, or 4.
“He is someone who has revived the CSK side over the years. MS Dhoni started his career as an opener, why not take the role at the fag-end of his career? He is batting at No.7 now and plays hardly 10-15 balls. So why not Dhoni bat up in the order at No.3 or maybe at 4 or open? Just a figure like MS Dhoni, even if he stays there for 14-15 overs you never know. You will have to do something different,” Parthiv said on Cricbuzz.
“Every time India were in trouble in seaming conditions, MS Dhoni got runs, whether it was against Sri Lanka where he got 80 in Dharamsala or in Chennai against Pakistan where he got a hundred. With his technique, everyone would think that he would struggle on a seaming wicket, and here the ball is seaming around in the first 4-5 overs and he has his own technique and knows how to survive,” asserted the 37-year-old,” he added.
CSK will play their next match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 12 at Dr. DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai.
