Virender Sehwag humorously questions Dhoni's batting position in RCB clash
What's the story
Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag humorously questioned MS Dhoni's batting position during Chennai Super Kings's (CSK) recent defeat to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2025.
The rare decision to bat at No.9, a rarity for the legendary cricketer, led to widespread speculation among fans and experts alike.
The match was held at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where CSK failed to chase a target of 197 runs set by RCB.
Here's more.
Batting order
Dhoni's unusual batting position raises eyebrows
In a shocking move, Dhoni batted at No.9 against RCB, a decision that left many scratching their heads.
This was especially surprising as CSK lost regular wickets while chasing the mammoth score. They eventually fell short by 50 runs.
The players who batted ahead of him were Sam Curran, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Sehwag's remark
Sehwag humorously comments on Dhoni's early appearance
Sehwag jokingly said on Cricbuzz, "Jaldi aa gaye na (He came out to bat early)."
He went on to say that it looked like Dhoni had made up his mind not to bat before the death overs.
The comment was made during a post-match show after RCB beat CSK by 50 runs.
Despite his late appearance, Dhoni scored 30 runs off just 16 balls with three fours and two sixes.
Tiwary's criticism
Tiwary criticizes CSK's coaching staff for not promoting Dhoni
Meanwhile, former India cricketer Manoj Tiwary slammed CSK's coaching staff for not having the guts to promote Dhoni up the order.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, he said, "It's beyond my understanding how a batter like MS Dhoni, who can stay unbeaten after scoring 30 off 16 balls, why not move up the order? You are playing to win right?"
This was after CSK's heavy defeat against RCB.
Youngsters' chance
Dhoni's decision to bat lower down the order
In a recent interview with Jio, Dhoni had explained his decision to bat lower down the order, saying he wanted to give a chance to youngsters who have a shot at making it to the Indian T20I side.
However, this reasoning was questioned as both Jadeja and Ashwin, who batted ahead of him, are already retired from T20Is.
This has led fans and experts alike to question why Dhoni chose to bat at No. 9 in this match.