'He can't bat 10 overs running full stick' - Stephen Fleming resolves mystery around MS Dhoni's batting position

Legendary MS Dhoni’s batting position in the ongoing IPL 2025 (Indian Premier League) season has been a hot topic. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) wicketkeeper-batter has been batting lower down the order. After CSK’s six-run loss to Rajasthan Royals (RR), head coach Stephen Fleming addressed this question, putting to rest any speculation surrounding Dhoni’s position in the lineup.

In the ongoing season, Dhoni has batted at positions from No. 7 to No. 9, playing small cameos. With him still striking the ball well, many have questioned why CSK didn’t send him in earlier. Fans, eager to see their hero in action, have even started cheering for CSK wickets just so Dhoni can walk out to bat.

However, after the RR match, Fleming made it clear that MS Dhoni’s batting position was due to physical constraints. The coach mentioned that Dhoni’s body is not what it used to be, especially his knees. The 43-year-old wicketkeeper-batter is managing his fitness carefully and cannot afford to run at full intensity for long periods.

"Yeah, it's a time thing. MS judges it. His body is; his knees aren't what they used to be. And he's moving okay, but there's still an attrition aspect to it. He can't bat 10 overs running full-stick. So he will gauge on the day what he can give us. If the game's in the balance like today, he will go a little bit earlier, and he backs other players when other opportunities are up. So he's balancing that," Fleming said in the post-match press conference.

The former New Zealand captain emphasized that Dhoni’s leadership and wicketkeeping are crucial for CSK, making it impractical to push him up the order unnecessarily.

"I said it last year [as well], he's too valuable to us—leadership and wicketkeeping—to throw him in for nine or ten overs. He has never done that. So, look, from around 13-14 overs, he's looking to go, depending on who's in," he added.

CSK yet to win a game in IPL 2025 season

Meanwhile, the five-time champions are currently in a tricky situation, having lost two out of their three games. Currently positioned seventh in the points table, the Chennai-based franchise needs to find a way to get back to winning ways.