Published: Sep 30, 2021, 06:18 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 30, 2021, 06:18 PM (IST)
Former Australian juggernaut Matthew Hayden has come up with a surprise pick as far as the Most Valuable Player of IPL 2021 is concerned. For the 2-time World Cup winner, MS Dhoni is so far the standout player in the ongoing Indian Premier League season.
The choice is a surprising to say the least as the CSK captain didn’t fire with the bat in this edition like he used to do. He has managed to notch up a paltry 52 runs in the last 10 innings with batting as deep down at 7 or 8. Hayden acknowledges the fact that despite his former CSK teammate’s lacklustre show with the bat, he has proven himself an avid leader with his expertise this season. CSK have come out on top in 2021 and are on their way to the Play-Offs.
“Most valuable player, even though he hasn’t had the best of tournaments so far, is still MS Dhoni. As a leader of the side, he is absolutely rising to the challenge. He is older obviously but he has got the reigns and he is cracking them hard and his side is responding,” Hayden said on Star Sports.
Hayden is impressed by the fact that MS have used the likes of DJ Bravo and Faf du Plessis in the best way possible and have got results out of them. Faf du Plessis is currently the 4th highest run getter of the current season with 494 runs with an average almost touching 50.
“MS Dhoni when the IPL was first conceived, had a very strong younger side. He has got it now because of the strategies of having you know the loyalty amongst their selection. He’s got an older side but what we have seen in MS’s style is that he has still promoted the best out of guys like DJ Bravo, for example Faf du Plessis and others that are having a magnificent tournament,” Hayden said.
“So for me, his style is again and the greats do this, they shift and alter gears according to how their assets lie,” he added.
CSK currently sit at the top of the table with 16 points from 10 matches, playing a match less than Delhi Capitals who are placed 2nd with also 16 points but with a weaker run-rate. CSK play Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday.
