IPL 2021: MS Dhoni is 'extremely practical,' Deep Dasgupta backs CSK captain's batting position

Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta said on Monday that MS Dhoni is "extremely practical" when it comes to understanding the conditions and he would never put himself ahead of a player who is in a better form in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting line-up.

Dasgupta's comments came after CSK's 45-run win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 in Mumbai.

"He is extremely practical and pragmatic. He would know where he stands and he would know where the others stand. Trust him to take a call, it will not be putting himself above someone else with better form. If you look at the last game, he did not come ahead of Sam Curran. He is extremely practical. He knows what the situation is at the ground level," Dasgupta told India Today in an interview after CSK's win on Monday.

With their latest win, CSK jumped to second place in the IPL 2021 points table, pushing Delhi Capitals (DC) to the third spot.

Dhoni batted after in-form Sam Curran in their IPL 2021 game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) last week. But on Monday, Dhoni came in to bat ahead of Curran and totally struggled to get off the mark. The CSK captain took six deliveries to finally score his first runs before getting out for 17-ball 18. Curran and Dwayne Bravo produced late cameos to take CSK to a respectable total of 188 on the batting-friendly track of Wankhede against RR.

"Yes, if you haven't been playing games, you will (look rusty) in the first couple of games. But you don't have to worry about it. And they have got batting till 11. They have Dwayne Bravo at No. 9. I don't really think they have to worry too much but they need to get their batting order right depending on the situation.

I thought they got it right (against) RR. It's not important which number you bat in, according to me, in T20s, only your openers are fixed and everything else becomes flexible. If your openers get a good start in 7-8 overs, then you need to be flexible. I think CSK can afford to be flexible," Dasgupta added further in the same interview.

After IPL 2020, Dhoni did not play any competitive cricket, while most of his CSK teammates got the much-needed match time in international cricket before the 14th edition of the Indian T20 league.

Later on, former India spinner Pragyan Ojha also reflected on Dasgupta's thoughts, saying Dhoni would never promote himself up the order unless he feels the need to do so.

"Everybody knows MS Dhoni. He knows exactly what he has to do. How much ever people say that he has to come up the order, he will continue to play at the same position. He will not come up the order until he feels that at some point in time, his time requires him to come up the order," Ojha was quoted, as saying in an interview.

The three-time champions CSK have a day's break before they lock horns against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Mumbai on Wednesday.