“MS Dhoni is playing more as a brand” - Sanjay Manjrekar feels CSK is under-utilizing Dhoni in IPL 2025

Former Indian batter and commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels MS Dhoni is being under-utilized by the CSK franchise in the ongoing IPL 2025 season as the team suffered two consecutive losses in three games so far in this season.

Against RCB, batters like Sam Curran and Ravi Ashwin came ahead of Dhoni, who came in at No. 9, which didn’t go down well with many fans. As a result, CSK suffered a 50-run defeat in that game. Manjrekar stated that Dhoni’s presence in the team is more due to his brand and less as a player.

"I will look at the larger picture. If you look at this year and even last year, Dhoni is playing more as a brand than as a player," Sanjay Manjrekar said on JioStar.

"When they select the playing XI, they don't pick an extra batter because MS is there. MS Dhoni is a bonus for them. He has a different role," he added.

Moreover, Manjrekar has also asserted that Dhoni should become the captain of the team in order to utilize his capabilities properly by coming up the batting order and winning the matches with his proper finishing skills.

"I think if MS Dhoni is playing and batting so late, he should be the captain. He is doing great as a wicketkeeper, but he would contribute more as captain. Right now, he is being under-utilised," Manjrekar stated.

Though Dhoni smacked 30 runs off 16 balls against RCB at No. 9, it wasn’t enough for his side. In the game against RR, he scored 16 runs, coming in at No. 7, as CSK suffered a six-run loss to bag their second consecutive loss of the season.

Notably, MS Dhoni, who was retained for INR 4 Crore by CSK at the IPL 2025 retentions, is playing as an uncapped player after BCCI stated that players who haven't played international cricket for five years are allowed as uncapped players.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!