ZEE Poll: 55% people want CSK skipper MS Dhoni to bat lower down the order in IPL 2021

Dhoni has scored mere 18 runs from two innings so far in IPL 2021.

CSK skipper MS Dhoni (Source: Twitter)

For Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni not much has changed since the last season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) as the 39-year-old is still struggling with the bat. Notably, Dhoni has scored mere 18 runs from two innings so far.

The wicketkeeper-batsman got out for a duck against Delhi Capitals and then scored 18 off 17 balls against Rajasthan Royals.

However, CSK are winning matches more frequently as they have won two out of three games so far in IPL 2021. Also, Dhoni is still a mastermind in the middle he always has been and he proved it once again when he used his two spinners Moeen Ali and Ravindra Jadeja in the middle overs against RR, realising that the dry ball will spin.

Meanwhile, batting legend and West Indies great Brian Lara feels that Dhoni can afford to focus more on other duties rather than batting and he can bat lower down the order especially considering the sort of batting line-up that CSK have.

"I don’t think there should be asking for too much effort from MS Dhoni with the bat. Of course, he got the gloves in his hands, he has got to take the catches and do the stumpings. But I find that batting order is so long, Dhoni can take some rest. We want him in form, we know how destructive he can be but he has got so many good players. Look at Sam Curran, who is in great form. He comes in and hits from ball one straightaway," Brian Lara told Star Sports.

Interestingly, majority of the fans agree with Lara and are of the opinion that MSD should demote himself in the batting line-up.

As per the poll conducted by Zee News on Twitter, 55.2% of people want Dhoni to come lower down the order, while 44.8% of people believe that MSD should continue to bat at no.7 only.

#ZeePoll | Should MS Dhoni take Brian Lara's advice to take 'rest' and bat lower down the order against Kolkata Knight Riders?#IPL2021 #KKRvsCSK #CSKvsKKR @msdhoni @BrianLara @ChennaiIPL @KKRiders

— Zee News English (@ZeeNewsEnglish) April 21, 2021

Meanwhile, CSK take on Kolkata Knight Riders in their fourth game of the IPL 2021 at Wankhede on Wednesday (April 21) and KKR skipper Eoin Morgan won the toss and elected to bowl first.

KKR has made two changes as Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Sunil Narine come in for Harbhajan Singh and Shakib Al Hasan.

CSK has made one change and rested Dwayne Bravo. Lungi Ngidi replaces him in the side.

Teams:

KKR: Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, Rahul Tripathi, Eoin Morgan(c), Dinesh Karthik(w), Andre Russell, Pat Cummins, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna.

CSK: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni(w/c), Sam Curran, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi, Deepak Chahar.