"After this knock, he will definitely not come" - Ambati Rayudu on the likelihood of MS Dhoni batting up the order after cameo in IPL 2024 clash vs DC

Ambati Rayudu believes MS Dhoni's swashbuckling cameo in the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) IPL 2024 loss to the Delhi Capitals (DC) has virtually ended the fans' hopes of seeing him bat up the order.

The Capitals set CSK a 192-run target after opting to bat first in Visakhapatnam in the second game on Sunday, March 31. Dhoni then smoked an unbeaten 37 off just 16 deliveries in the run chase. However, his knock went in vain as the defending champions lost the game by 20 runs, their first defeat in the tournament after starting with two wins.

During a discussion on Star Sports, Rayudu was asked whether he sees Dhoni batting up the order after his heroics on Sunday. He responded in the negative, reasoning:

"I feel that after this knock, he will definitely not come because he has now got the confidence that he can win matches for CSK by going down the order. This is actually a setback to our hopes of seeing Dhoni bhai bat up the order."

Dhoni batted at No. 8 against the Capitals. He walked out to bat only in the 17th over and clubbed four fours and three sixes during his short stay in the middle.

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"He knows that such a situation can come in the playoffs or a crucial qualifying match" - Ambati Rayudu on MS Dhoni refusing singles

MS Dhoni (right) and Ravindra Jadeja strung together an unbroken 51-run seventh-wicket partnership. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Ambati Rayudu was further asked about his thoughts on MS Dhoni turning down singles and opting to retain strike.

"I feel Mahi bhai knew that the match had probably gone out of grasp. So he knew he could get crucial batting practice in the middle in a match because he knows that such a situation can come in the playoffs or a crucial qualifying match. So he was preparing himself for that," he replied.

The former CSK player reckons the veteran wicketkeeper-batter was trying to test his big-hitting game.

"He was testing himself that whether he can still hit yorker-length balls against good bowlers out of the park or not. The happiness you could see on his face after playing that innings, I feel he is very confident within himself," Rayudu said.

"Every team should be scared now because this guy will come in the last five overs and we will now again get to see the batting we used to see from MS Dhoni in 2005," the former India player added.

CSK needed 72 runs off 23 balls when Dhoni joined Ravindra Jadeja in the middle. Although their former skipper's explosive knock couldn't take them over the line, it could hold them in good stead in the long run.