IPL 2024: Watson Backs CSK Strategy Shift, Dhoni Expected to Bat Up as Lessons Learned from Mistakes

Former Australia and Chennai all-rounder Shane Watson said he believes the Super Kings will not hesitate to send MS Dhoni higher up the batting order if given the chance in their much-awaited IPL 2024 match against SRH in Hyderabad on Friday, April. 5. Watson said that CSK are known to work on things that don’t go their way and expressed confidence that the 5-time champions will bounce back from their previous encounter defeat.

Chennai are in the top 4 of the IPL 2024 points table at the start of the season, having won two of their first three matches. The Super Kings were comfortably outclassed by Delhi in Visakhapatnam on March 31 as they failed to chase down 192 runs on a good batting pitch. Captain Ruturaj Gaekwad and his opening partner Rachin Ravindra failed at the top and Chennai were playing catch-up in their chase against Delhi, who opened their account in IPL 2024 after surviving a scare from MS Dhoni.

While Ajinkya Rahane shone with a handy innings, it was MS Dhoni who grabbed the headlines despite the Super Kings’ defeat. Dhoni came into bat in the 17th over after the likes of Ravindra Jadeja and young Sameer Rizvi when the skin rate was 72 runs off 23 balls. Dhoni took fans down memory lane with a vintage show of big-hitting, but it wasn’t enough for the Super Kings as they fell short of Delhi’s total by 20 runs. Dhoni hit an unbeaten 36 off 17 balls with 3 sixes and 4 boundaries, but it was too late for the Super Kings. Dhoni batted at No. 8 in that failed chase and Watson expects the Super Kings not to repeat the mistake if they face a similar situation in the coming games.

“CSK will learn from what went wrong against Delhi in their last game and make the most of what went incredibly well. One thing was the way Dhoni bats, late in the game, that will do. That means hope Well, he will move up the order when the opportunity comes, because he batted as well and I have seen him for a long time,” Shane Watson told media.

“The lessons CSK have learned, the reason they’ve been successful for so long is because they’ll find the little things they need to get better at, they need to execute better and where they’ve gone wrong and they’ll learn from that. . So they will be ready to go against Hyderabad,” he added. Chennai have a good 14-5 record against Sunrisers, but the 5-time champions will face a tough test against Sunrisers who will be keen to bounce back after their loss to Gujarat in Ahmedabad.

However, the Sunrisers will be confident of making an impression at home after breaking the IPL record for the highest total – 277 against Mumbai last week.