New Delhi, India

Former Australian captain Michael Clarke feels Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star MS Dhoni should not be promoted up the batting order in IPL 2024 . Since Dhoni's 16-ball 37* versus Delhi Capitals (DC), in match 13, where he kept Chennai in with a slight chance in their unsuccessful chase in Visakhapatnam, many former cricketers feel that the Yellow Army should make use of Dhoni's form and send him up the order. However, Clarke heaped praise on Dhoni, calling him the 'best finisher the game has ever seen', but stated that the veteran should bat at No. 8.

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In a panel discussion on Star Sports, former Indian cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar stated, "Which means he will have to come ahead of somebody like a Daryl Mitchell, Ravindra Jadeja or Shivam Dube. Is that the right call? I Wonder. May be not. I want him to replicate what he did last season. Few balls and maximum impact. And even in that match, when he got 30-odd, he got it in 16-17 balls. MS Dhoni’s strengths lies in his wicketkeeping, being a guide to Ruturaj and his cameos. Sending him at No. 3 or No. 4 may not be such a great idea."

Also read: IPL 2024, CSK vs KKR Match Preview: Chennai aim to wrest losing streak against Kolkata juggernaut at home

Clarke joined in and agreed with Manjrekar by saying, "You are spot on, Sanjay. He doesn’t need to. That’s never been his role in any format of the game. There might have been occasions when he goes up the order. But, generally, he is a finisher. He is probably the best finisher the game has ever seen. So he doesn’t have to change that. The other thing about having MS Dhoni in your team, that should give the players in front of him feel confident, and maybe take a few risks a little bit earlier. He has got enough jobs, and he has done it for a long period of time. It’s time for other players to step up."

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Dhoni-starrer CSK are at the fourth spot in the points table, with two wins and equal number of losses. Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai will host Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who are unbeaten in the ongoing edition, in match 22 on Monday evening (April 8). The defending champions will be looking to return to winning ways versus Shreyas Iyer & Co.