AB de Villiers Questions MS Dhoni’s Role At CSK After Sanju Samson Move

AB de Villiers questioned MS Dhoni’s role at CSK after Sanju Samson’s arrival, saying his place in the XI is hard to justify if he bats at No. 8 or 9.

AB de Villiers has questioned MS Dhoni’s role in the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026. His comments followed the trade of Sanju Samson from the Rajasthan Royals.

De Villiers pointed out Dhoni’s recent batting position at number 8 or 9. He suggested the role becomes irrelevant without captaincy duties. The former cricketer also noted that the team balance matters more than individual presence. In the team, Ruturaj Gaikwad continues as captain, while Samson adds experience.

“If he is going to play the role of batting at No. 8 or No. 9, and not really captaining, then I just feel it’s almost making up a spot and just almost there for the wrong reasons. It’s not the individual that goes on to win a trophy, it ultimately ends up being a team performance. I do feel that Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju are the perfect players to take over from MS,” de Villiers said on Star Sports.

Cheteshwar Pujara Backs Dhoni To Bat Higher In Order

Meanwhile, Cheteshwar Pujara offered a different view on MS Dhoni’s role. He suggested Dhoni could have a greater impact if he bats higher than number 8 or 9. Pujara believes a longer stay at the crease, around 25 or 30 balls, could maximise his value.

“I don’t see a point in MS Dhoni batting at No. 8 or 9, because he has the potential to turn games around single-handedly, something no other batter in the CSK team can do. If he bats for only five or ten balls, imagine what Mahi bhai can do if he plays 25 or 30 balls,” Pujara said on JioStar.

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“When you’re in that environment, there is clarity about what is expected of you as a player. Loyalty also comes into the picture because most players stay for a long time once they become part of that setup. There is a transition now, so there is a bit more preference for young players,” he added.

Date	Opponent	Venue
March 30	Rajasthan Royals	Guwahati
April 3	Punjab Kings	Chennai
April 5	Royal Challengers Bengaluru	Bengaluru
April 11	Delhi Capitals	Chennai

CSK Squad

MS Dhoni (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Sanju Samson (traded in from RR), Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Urvil Patel, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Shreyas Gopal, Khaleel Ahmed, Ramakrishna Ghosh, Mukesh Choudhary, Jamie Overton, Gurjapneet Singh, Anshul Kamboj, Akeal Hosein, Prashant Veer, Kartik Sharma (wk), Matthew Short, Aman Khan, Sarfaraz Khan, Matt Henry, Rahul Chahar, Zak Foulkes.