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Former India opener Gautam Gambhir has questioned the batting position of Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni. Dhoni, who hasn’t played any professional cricket since IPL 2020, batted at number seven in CSK’s opening game against Delhi Capitals and got out for a two-ball duck after pacer Avesh Khan breached Dhoni's defence.
A leader needs to lead from the front- Gambhir blasts MS Dhoni
Gambhir reckoned that Dhoni should bat at number four or five and not below that for CSK. Speaking on Star Sports show Cricket Live, Gambhir said,
"MS Dhoni should be batting higher, that's what matters because ultimately people should start leading from the front. We keep mentioning this thing that a leader needs to lead from the front. You can't be leading, when you're batting at No.7."
Gambhir further opined that Dhoni is not as attacking as he used to be and it is better for him to bat up in the order in the upcoming matches, so that he can set his eyes on the ball.
Dhoni's struggles in IPL 2020
Last year in IPL 2020, CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time in the IPL history. Dhoni managed to score just 200 runs in 14 matches at a strike-rate of less than 120. Dhoni's performances raised question marks over his slow-batting approach and inconsistent position in the CSK batting order.
CSK are set to lock horns with KL Rahul-led Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Friday evening. It will be interesting to see if Dhoni will change his batting position in the game. CSK fans will be hoping that MS Dhoni, one of the most consistent performers for CSK over the years can come up with an impactful performance.