By Zainab Shafiq 
MS Dhoni, the legendary Indian cricketer, surprised everyone during the IPL 2024 match between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Sunday. In a first for his illustrious T20 career spanning 18 years, Dhoni came out to bat at an unusually low position – No. 9.
Previously, Dhoni had always occupied spots between No. 3 and No. 7 in the batting order throughout his T20 career. While he recently experimented with the No. 8 position during IPL 2023, batting at No. 9 was a completely unforeseen shift.
Unfortunately, Dhoni’s time at the crease was short-lived. Despite the unusual batting position, he wasn’t able to capitalize on the opportunity. Shardul Thakur, the all-rounder preceding Dhoni in the batting order, was dismissed just before him. Dhoni’s stay at the crease proved even briefer, as Harshal Patel from PBKS dismissed him for a golden duck (dismissed without scoring).
Looking at his overall T20 career, Dhoni has primarily thrived in the middle order. Notably, No. 5 has been his most productive batting position. Throughout his T20 journey, he has amassed the highest number of runs (2602) batting at No. 5.
During the 19th over of CSK’s innings, Dhoni fell victim to a cleverly disguised slower ball from Harshal Patel. The delivery dipped unexpectedly, leaving Dhoni completely surprised. The ball snuck through his defense and shattered the off-stump, leaving both CSK and Dhoni’s fans stunned. This dismissal marked Dhoni’s first in IPL 2024 by a bowler, as his previous dismissal in the last match against PBKS was a run-out.
Harshal Patel, the bowler responsible for Dhoni’s dismissal, expressed a mix of respect and satisfaction after the match. He acknowledged his immense respect for Dhoni and revealed he refrained from celebrating excessively due to this respect.
Patel further elaborated on the strategy behind the slower ball, highlighting the advantage of playing a day game on a pitch that had begun to deteriorate, causing the ball to reverse swing. He emphasized the importance of practice and feel for such deliveries, which often prove to be successful against most batters.
Regardless, this unusual event will undoubtedly be a part of the narrative surrounding Dhoni’s remarkable T20 career.