IPL 2020 | For first time in my memory, MS Dhoni is playing only with 5 bowlers, bewilders Aakash Chopra

Historically, MS Dhoni has always banked on his bowlers to dictate the course of the game, which never put so much pressure on their batsmen, but the story has been different this season. The absence of Suresh Raina up top has disturbed the dynamics altogether with the batting order seeming clueless, as is MS Dhoni with his strategy and batting. That has surprised Aakash Chopra big-time who feels that Dhoni’s desperation and lack of confidence in his own batting form forced him to play with five bowlers.

"For the first time in my memory, Dhoni the captain is playing only with 5 bowlers. He doesn't like playing with 5 bowlers, but this time he is," Aakash Chopra said in his YouTube show.

"He is a bit concerned about his batting, the absence of Rayudu is a big concern. He is not 100% confident about his batting form. With Ruturaj Gaikwad coming in and Murali Vijay not making runs, he is not confident to play 6 bowlers.

"If you observe Jadeja this season, he has bowled 4 overs in all three matches and conceded more than 40 runs each time. If he is going to leak so many runs, you have got nowhere else to go. No one else is bowling, only 5 bowlers in the team. That's very unlike Dhoni but it's happening."

After coming out to bat at No.7 in the first two matches, which Dhoni owed to lack of practice, he promoted himself at No.6 but to no avail. After Murali Vijay and Shane Watson failed to get going, the pressure mounted and the middle-order crumbled. But Aakash Chopra asserted that Shane Watson will eventually get runs but the absence of Raina is being felt dramatically in the set-up.

"When you talk about Dhoni's batting order, you need to look at where Ruturaj Gaikwad and Murali Vijay can bat. What's the use of sending Kedar Jadhav at the end. I can understand where Dhoni is batting and why he is batting there. Their top-order is struggling except Faf du Plessis. Shane Watson will eventually get runs, I am not too worried. I am worried about Vijay and Gaikwad.

"They are missing Raina. They haven't found a replacement for him. It's hurting this team a bit. Harbhajan Singh would have added a bit more strength. They are struggling as a team at the moment. 180-run targets are difficult for them, 150-160, that is their range, for that to happen, I think Dhoni must play 6 six bowlers."