Will MS Dhoni play as an Impact Player this IPL?

MS Dhoni

With four wicketkeepers in squad that includes Sanju Samson, it would be fascinating to see how Chennai Super Kings use Dhoni in the tournament

As Chennai Super Kings walked out of the auction room, the immediate question was where do they fit in MS Dhoni. Having already acquired Urvil Patel mid-way through the last season, CSK got hold of Sanju Samson as their ideal, long-term replacement for the 44-year-old. And at the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi bought uncapped 19-year-old Kartik Sharma, a hard-hitting batsman who can slot lower down the order as a finisher going forward.

With four wicketkeepers in the squad, CSK are not short on options and the resources in the squad indicates the franchise has plans in place for the eventual transition. Having struggled with a knee problem in the last couple of seasons, Dhoni has been limiting his role with the bat, even choosing to come down as low as No 8 to ensure he gets only a handful of deliveries to face. All of this happened with CSK not having a good wicketkeeper in place.