For Hayden, Dhoni is the most valuable player of IPL

Legendary Australian cricketer and once a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batsman, Matthew Hayden, rates captain MS Dhoni as the most valuable player in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Hayden said he knows that an ageing Dhoni is struggling to score, but feels the team is winning because of Dhoni’s leadership skills. CSK has won 8 out of 10 matches in this IPL so far, becoming a certainty for the playoffs. “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 in an interview to Star Sports.

In the year 2020, CSK failed to qualify for the playoffs for first time since the IPL began in 2008 (barring the two year suspension in 2015 and 2016). Dhoni too failed to shine with the bat scoring only 200 runs, his lowest in the tournament ever. This time too, the captain cool has scored only 52 runs from 10 matches so far. The team, however, is doing great, scoring 16 points in 10 games.

Also read: Why Gavaskar is a bit sceptical about Dhoni’s choice as Team India mentor

Hayden believes Dhoni has the ability inspire players and bring the best out of them. “Guys like DJ Bravo, for example, that are making their impact on this tournament albeit in a way that’s small but each component of the team is playing in unison,” he said.

Reminiscing his days playing under Dhoni for the CSK, Hayden said that there is a sense of loyalty in Dhoni’s team selection. “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 and Faf du Plessis,” he said.

CSK plays SunRisers Hyderabad on Thursday (September 30).