MS Dhoni has been under the scanner with him batting lower down the order and Chennai Super Kings making a poor start to the IPL 2025 losing three of their four matches.

However, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting - now the head coach at Punjab Kings - did not see any reason to question a franchise like CSK for Dhoni batting lower down the order. Ponting also said Dhoni is still "as good as ever".

"Well, his keeping is not getting any worse, that is one thing I do know; he is not missing many standing up to the stumps against the spinners, as good as ever,” Ponting was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Dhoni faced flak for batting at No. 9 during CSK's home game against RCB that they lost by 50 runs.

CSK are currently reeling at the bottom of the league with two points from four matches. Their only win came against Mumbai Indians in their campaign opener. Though Dhoni batted a few notches up in their next two games, CSK's fortunes remained unchanged as they went down to Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals respectively.

“Look, you are not going to argue with anything CSK do; they are one of the most successful teams in IPL history. They have had consistent coaching for a long time and generally make the right decisions," said Ponting.

"With the impact player rule now, Dhoni bats after other serious ball strikers within their own right. I guess he has played a slightly diminished role in the last couple of years, just coming in for the last 10–12 balls and trying to make a big impact. Dhoni is still dangerous in the IPL," he added.

Ponting also addressed the question on 43-year-old Dhoni's retirement and said the former India captain's future in the IPL will depend on the impact he makes with the bat this season. "It might just depend on how this season goes. If he can have a real impact with the bat, I think he will keep playing. If his batting output drops, he might start thinking about it. He’s been a terrific player for a long time.”

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