Former Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni made a blockbuster return on Saturday evening, in the IPL 2022 season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders, with a crucial fifty off 38 balls. His half-century and new captain Ravindra Jadeja’s knock of 26 from 28 balls helped CSK to a fightable total of 131 after the side was reduced to 61/5.
However, the start of Dhoni’s innings was really scratchy and tentative. Coming in at a precarious situation for CSK, Dhoni tapped out dots from Chakravarthy, Andre Russell – and looked completely at sea against Sunil Narine. Beaten number of times, lbw appeal, stumping appeal – Dhoni couldn’t hit the middle of the bat versus Narine. But somehow he survived the Narine storm with a number of moments where his fans had their hearts in their mouths.
By that time he was 15 off 25 balls, Ravindra Jadeja also struggled as well at the other end. And then, MS Dhoni did what Dhoni does: he hammered the pacers everywhere in the death overs.
In the 17th over, Russell was carted for three boundaries by Dhoni: cut, swivel pull, and squeezing a yorker fine of short-third. Young Shivam Mavi was erratic in the presence of the greatest ever finisher: a boundary over cover was followed by a waist-high full-toss top-edged for six over fine leg.
MS Dhoni then thumped Russell for two more fours in the last over, before taking the single that brought up his fifty. Jadeja, who had been struggling till then, also had the rub of the green from Dhoni, and walloped the last ball of the innings for a maximum as the new captain and former captain took CSK to 131 after the team looked to be struggling to make even 100.
Fans erupted in joy as MS Dhoni continued to show that he’s still got it, aged 40 and over.
Among this, senior Indian journalist Boria Majumdar made an opinion that Dhoni to come up in the batting order. Majumdar pointed out that since Dhoni requires some deliveries to set himself in, he should promote himself up in the order, take his time before unleashing the havoc in the end.
“More reason why @msdhoni should bat higher up. Moment he gets a few balls in which he will need at this stage of his career, the touch will be back. Excellent to see him getting the big shots,” Boria Majumdar tweeted.
Here’s Boria Majumdar’s analytical tweet on MS Dhoni’s batting position:
More reason why @msdhoni should bat higher up. Moment he gets a few balls in which he will need at this stage of his career, the touch will be back. Excellent to see him getting the big shots. @ChennaiIPL
— Boria Majumdar (@BoriaMajumdar) March 26, 2022
