In a controversial move during the IPL 2025 match at Chepauk, Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) veteran MS Dhoni faced heavy criticism for his decision to bat at number nine against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday. As CSK found themselves in dire straits, with the team struggling at 99-7 while chasing a target of 197, fans questioned whether Dhoni was prioritizing crowd-pleasing over securing a win.
The 43-year-old wicketkeeper-batter’s lower-order appearance came under intense scrutiny after he scored 30 runs off 16 balls, including two pivotal sixes in the final over off Krunal Pandya’s bowling. Critics argued that an earlier entry into the batting order might have altered the outcome of the match. Instead, CSK opted to send Ravichandran Ashwin in ahead of Dhoni, who managed 11 runs off eight balls—a decision that further fueled debate among supporters.
He got humiliated today by RCB. If he had got any self respect left, he should not return for yet another season.
— Aditya (@rajatadiraj) March 28, 2025
Adding to the controversy, former Indian cricketer Manoj Tiwary remarked on Cricbuzz that CSK’s management seems overly influenced by Dhoni. “It’s beyond my understanding how a batter like MS Dhoni, who can stay unbeaten after scoring 30 off 16 balls, isn’t pushed up the order. You are playing to win, right? CSK coaching staff do not have the guts to tell MS Dhoni to move up the order. I think they will never be able to tell him. Once he has decided, that’s it,” Tiwary stated.
RCB’s 50-run victory marked a significant milestone as it was their first win against CSK at Chepauk since 2008, intensifying the discussion around team strategy and player roles.