'Dhoni should have batted up': Pathan points finger at Gaikwad's captaincy tactics after loss to SRH

The Chennai Super Kings suffered their second loss at the hands of the Sunrisers Hyderabad last night. While the Ruturaj Gaikwad era had a smooth start, the loss to SRH could be unsettling to the fans. One of the premier highlights of all CSK matches, MS Dhoni, has continued to prove his worth as a finisher after his masterclass against the Delhi Capitals. Even though Chennai lost the match-up, fans were overjoyed to see MSD bat. However, in the clash against SRH, Gaikwad's strategy as a skipper has come under scrutiny. 

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Ruturaj Gaikwad's perplexing strategy lambasted by former team India cricketer Irfan pathan

It looks like the CSK fans' biggest nightmare is turning into a reality, as a captaincy shift in the team hasn't settled well. While Ruturaj Gaikwad went off to a smooth start in the series, the last two matches have been a bummer for the Chennai-based IPL franchise. CSK could not capitalize while batting first as their top order faltered direly. MS Dhoni could have been the saviour as he proved to be a key hitter in the game. But Gaikwad and the CSK management chose to put MSD as the number seven batter and sent out Daryl Mitchell, who put up just 13 runs before being dismissed by T Natarajan. 

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan challenged the purpose behind keeping Dhoni back after SRH chased down the total with 11 balls remaining to hand Chennai their second straight loss in the IPL 2024 season. Pathan believes Dhoni should have been moved up in the order to tackle Hyderabad's Jaydev Unadkat and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

“Considering off cutter planning in to the pitch and match up against Bhuvi and Unadkat, Dhoni the right hand batsman should have batted up the order in this match vs SRH,” Irfan Pathan tweeted on X (Formerly Twitter).

Also Read: 'It's all Dhoni's fault': CSK fans fear the worst about Ruturaj after yet another loss in IPL 2024

Ruturaj Gaikwad and the Chennai Super Kings will have a chance to pull off a rebound, as their match will be at home. But their opponents are formidable, as the Kolkata Knight Riders have been a potent force to clash against. The team will be up for a challenge in their upcoming fixture at Chepauk.