Ashwin’s big statement on Dhoni’s role in IPL 2026, raises serious questions on becoming an impact player

Delhi: Former veteran off-spinner of the Indian cricket team, Ravichandran Ashwin has given a big statement regarding the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. He believes that using Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the role of ‘impact player’ is not the right strategy. Ashwin clearly said that if Dhoni is a part of the team, then he should be included in the playing eleven regularly.

Question on impact player role

Sharing his views, Ashwin said that using Dhoni as an impact player can affect the balance of the team. According to him, a player should either play an active role in the team or stay away from the entire season. The middle path is not beneficial for the team.

Discussion on batting order and performance

In the last few seasons, Dhoni has been falling down the batting order a lot, due to which his role seemed limited. His performance in IPL 2025 was also average. Batting on limited occasions in the entire tournament, he scored around 200 runs and could not score a single half-century. Because of this, questions were also raised about his role.

Captaincy and team position

Last season, in the absence of regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, Dhoni once again took command of the team. However, the team’s performance was not as expected and Chennai team remained at the bottom of the points table. The team had to face 10 defeats with only four wins in 14 matches.

Chennai’s new strategy

Now looking at the upcoming season, Chennai Super Kings has expressed confidence in the young players. The team management is expecting better results this time with new enthusiasm and balance. At the same time, fans and experts are also keeping an eye on Dhoni’s role and in what form he comes on the field with the team.

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