IPL 2021: "MS Dhoni should bat at No.4 once CSK qualifies for the playoffs" - Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir believes MS Dhoni should elevate himself in the batting order once the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are assured of a playoff berth.

CSK registered a convincing six-wicket win in Friday night's IPL 2021 encounter against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). All their batsmen made decent contributions in the run chase, with MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina providing the finishing touches.

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During a discussion on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir opined that MS Dhoni should bat up the order once CSK guarantee themselves a knockout berth. He elaborated:

"MS Dhoni should bat at No.4 once CSK qualifies for the playoffs, irrespective of whether you are chasing or batting first so that you are able to spend time in the middle. I will want to see that, hopefully it happens. The best thing about a captain is that it is his own wish, he can bat anywhere he wants."

The former India opener reasoned that MS Dhoni needs to be in good touch since the onus might fall on him in a crunch encounter. Gambhir explained:

"Your No.3 and No.4 will not always score runs. You need to bat a little more. The more runs you score, it will keep getting easier. You will qualify for the playoffs but it should not happen that the responsibility falls on you, you lose early wickets and you have to come and score runs."

MS Dhoni, who is now seen in action competitively only in the Indian Premier League, has scored just 51 runs in the six knocks he has played this year. He will certainly hope to have a longer stint in the middle as the tournament progresses.

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"If MS Dhoni and Raina get their form, it will be the icing on the cake" - Irfan Pathan

Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni have been synonymous with the Chennai Super Kings [P/C:iplt20.com]

Irfan Pathan highlighted that MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina regaining their form will give the CSK batting lineup a formidable look. He reasoned:

"The confidence CSK will get from this innings is also a good thing. If you have Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Rayudu and Moeen Ali - all these four in form, then if MS Dhoni and Raina get their form, it will be the icing on the cake."

The former CSK player added that MS Dhoni and Raina can play explosive knocks if they get their touch back. Pathan said:

"Considering that, it is great news for CSK that Raina and MS Dhoni played unbeaten knocks. They are just two points away from qualification and they will qualify. So they will need crucial runs from them, if you are in form it makes a difference. You can expect 20-25 runs off ten deliveries from both of them."

Raina, much like Dhoni, has not been his former self in IPL 2021. The southpaw has so far scored 144 runs at an underwhelming average of 24.00 and a below-par strike rate of 127.43.