Former Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has expressed surprise over Chennai Super Kings’ batting strategy in their recent Indian Premier League (IPL) clash against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, questioning why Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to bat so low in the order. As per agency report, Chennai suffered a 50-run defeat at the hands of RCB, marking the latter’s first victory at the Chepauk Stadium in 17 years.
In the match, Dhoni came in to bat at number nine and remained unbeaten with a quick 30 off 16 balls. However, by the time he arrived at the crease, the outcome was already slipping away from CSK’s grasp.
Speaking on a broadcast, Watson said it was puzzling to see a player of Dhoni’s calibre batting so late, especially when the team needed his experience and composure at the crease. He suggested that Dhoni should have batted ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin and been given more deliveries to make an impact, pointing out that CSK fans come to see Dhoni in action and he still has the ability to perform well, as evidenced in previous seasons.
Watson also questioned other tactical decisions made by CSK, such as sending Rahul Tripathi to open the innings while regular opener Ruturaj Gaikwad was pushed down the order. He noted that Gaikwad’s dismissal, playing an uncharacteristic shot against Josh Hazlewood, reflected the impact of the altered batting order.
In addition, Watson criticised the decision to promote Sam Curran to number five, stating that he had mostly seen Curran bat at number seven and that the current team composition appeared unsettled.
He concluded that CSK would need to reassess their approach and bring better balance to their playing XI if they want to regain their winning momentum in the tournament.
