Chennai Super Kings (CSK) fans certainly had plenty of MS Dhoni to watch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Chepauk on April 5. The legendary wicket-keeper batter spent enough time in the middle, facing 26 balls. Typically, when Dhoni occupies the crease for that many balls, he has mostly steered his team to win. However, Dhoni couldn't replicate his past success in the clash against DC. Over those 26 balls, Dhoni managed to score only 30 runs, visibly struggling to connect with the ball in his usual powerful fashion. As CSK ultimately fell short by 25 runs while chasing a target of 184 set by DC, Dhoni found himself on the receiving end of criticism and online mockery across social media platforms.
Harshal Bhogle's blunt assessment of MS Dhoni's knock against DC
Meanwhile, amidst Dhoni's criticism following his 30-run knock, renowned commentator and cricket analyst Harsha Bhogle bluntly dissected CSK superstar's batting. Bhogle pointed out that it appeared as though Dhoni's body was not quite able to execute the shots that his mind was envisioning.
"When you are not playing anything from IPL to IPL, your mind knows what to do, but you just haven't done it enough. He is very fit from a keeping point of view, from a general point of view. He is still the best keeper in this league. But, as a batter, he is not able to play the shots he wants to," Bhogle said in a chat on Cricbuzz.
Although the general consensus within the cricketing fraternity is that Dhoni needs to exhibit a more impactful performance when he spends a considerable amount of time at the crease, roughly around 10 overs, Harsha Bhogle did offer a slight allowance for the former CSK and India captain. He suggested that the pitch at Chepauk during that match wasn't the kind of surface where batters could simply walk in and start scoring freely with ease.
"Only one thing I would say in his favour is that this wasn't the easiest track to come out and hit through the line. The ball was stopping and coming, which just shows how well the opposition batted. This wasn't one of those tracks where you can go and hit the ball. But he was pushing for singles, trying to knock a boundary somewhere, that wasn't happening. It wasn't an easy surface to bat on. It's almost got to a stage now where the track that he nurtured, the tracks where, as a captain, he was untouchable, is now coming back to make it difficult for him as a batter," Harsha concluded.
The buzz was much that Dhoni might end up announcing his IPL retirement following clash against DC which was fueled by former CSK captain's parents' presence at the stands during the match. However, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming ended suspense over Dhoni's IPL retirement talks and made it clear that Dhoni isn't retiring anytime soon after the match. He said that the CSK stalwart is still going strong.
"No, that's not my role to put an end to it. I have no idea. I'm just enjoying working with him. He's still going strong. I don't even ask these days. You guys are the ones that ask (about retirement)," Fleming said in the post-match press conference.
Dhoni will next be seen in CSK's next clash against Punjab Kings on April 8