MS Dhoni recently cleared the air regarding why he batted down the order for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2024. The whole move left everyone in awe as many of them wondered why finisher extraordinaire Dhoni was not pushed up the batting order. In his characteristically selfless gesture, the former India captain said that his selection was actually for the team to present opportunities to teammates in the fray for India’s T20 World Cup 2024 team.

Dhoni said he had nothing to lose from being in a better batting position in his career stage, and wanted players like Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube to play in situations under pressure because they are probable candidates for national teams. And it has already come out in the open with Jadeja and Dube featuring in the T20 World Cup.

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“My thinking was simple—if others are doing their job well, why should I come up the order?” MS Dhoni shared at a recent event. “With the T20 World Cup squad announcement approaching, we had to give those fighting for a spot a chance to prove themselves. In our team, Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube were strong contenders, so I wanted to support them in gaining that opportunity.”

MS Dhoni further said that CSK comrades appreciated his mindset because this was a sort of patronization for the team over their careers. “There was nothing in it for me — no selection or anything. So I was comfortable staying down the order, and my team appreciated my role,” he explained.

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Though coming in lower down the order, MS Dhoni had cameos that thrilled people during crucial moments and scored 161 runs in 14 games at an average of 53.67 with a striking strike rate of 220.55. With fans guessing about Dhoni’s IPL future, it is said that he himself has intimated that he may well come back in 2025 and expressed his wish to “have whatever last few years of cricket” he could.