MS Dhoni, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) legend, faced a storm of criticism after coming in to bat at No. 9 during his team’s loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2025. The decision to send out players like Sam Curran and Ravichandran Ashwin ahead of Dhoni raised many eyebrows, especially since Dhoni is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous power hitters in the game.
Former Indian cricketer and renowned expert, Sanjay Manjrekar, weighed in on the decision, offering a bold statement regarding Dhoni’s role in the CSK setup. Manjrekar suggested that Dhoni’s presence in the team is now more about his brand value than his playing abilities.
Speaking on JioStar, Manjrekar stated, “I will look at the larger picture. If you look at this year and even last year, Dhoni is playing more as a brand than as a player. When they select the playing XI, they don’t pick an extra batter because MS is there. MS Dhoni is a bonus for them. He has a different role.”
While acknowledging the extraordinary brand value of MS Dhoni, Manjrekar also pointed out that CSK is not fully utilizing the legendary cricketer’s abilities by sending him so low down the order.
Manjrekar further suggested that Dhoni should be given the captaincy of the franchise to ensure his utility is better utilized. “I think if MS Dhoni is playing and batting so late, he should be the captain. He is doing great as a wicketkeeper, but he would contribute more as captain. Right now, he is being under-utilized,” said the former cricketer.
Despite his late arrival to the crease, Dhoni managed to score 30 runs off 16 balls against RCB. However, his innings came at a time when the match was already out of reach, making his efforts largely inconsequential.
Ahead of IPL 2025, CSK retained Dhoni for Rs 4 crore, a decision that was allowed due to the rule permitting players who haven’t played international cricket for over five years to be retained as uncapped players.
It remains to be seen whether CSK will reconsider their strategy with Dhoni going forward or if the star will continue to be used primarily for his brand rather than his playing skills.
