IPL 2020 | MS Dhoni has some small, clinical cricketing issues to sort out in CSK, believes Sanjay Manjrekar

After winning the first game of the season against Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings became completely lackadaisical in their approach, failing in two consecutive run-chases. Their approach was on a different tangent - something no one could have had a clue of - but unlike the previous editions, this backfired massively, which led to Stephen Fleming claiming that the batting side is muddled at the moment. Sanjay Manjrekar, reflecting on the same, stated that MS Dhoni’s role is pretty clear at the moment and CSK need Dhoni to fire to hold a chance to qualify for the play-offs.

"Chennai Super Kings as a team has rarely been under pressure in the league stage. This time they are. Even their die-hard fans have gone quiet on social media, they seem a little concerned. They look towards MS Dhoni for salvation. Chennai's approach has been very unique in the tournament, it's a team that is the opposite of Mumbai, who have virtually every member in their team capable of winning a T20 game on their own. Chennai may not compare with Mumbai as well, in this regard, but as a unit, it is a match-winning one. And for this to happen they need Dhoni at the helm," Manjrekar wrote in his column for Times of India.

CSK have been an antithesis of a T20 side where things happen on the way Dhoni wants to run the team. With minimal care for match-up and rigorous planning, CSK have been able to establish a set template, with Dhoni at the helm, and that is set to continue this season as well. Manjrekar feels that without Dhoni, CSK structure doesn’t hold any balance but as of now, the Ranchi man first needs to sort out a few clinical issues in the cricketing front.

"Any other captain would not be able to extract what Dhoni does from this team and when Chennai eventually have to look at life beyond Dhoni we may see a completely different structure of the team, unless Dhoni still remains the cricket nerve centre of the franchise, then maybe not. 

“But this would be interesting to see this in the coming years. For now, Dhoni has some small, clinical cricketing issues to sort out - on a good pitch he must have an additional bowling option, most teams are now starting to do that. At Chennai they could afford to rely on Jadeja to bowl his 4, in UAE for now at least, it's an unreliable tactic," Manjrekar added.