Virender Sehwag believes MS Dhoni should have batted ‘up the order’ during 2019 World Cup semi-final vs New Zealand

Dixit Bhargav | 21/08/2019
Virender Sehwag believes MS Dhoni should have batted 'up the order' during 2019 World Cup semi-final vs New Zealand

Virender Sehwag believes MS Dhoni: Former Indian captain has found fault with the Indian team management’s decision.

During the first semi-final of the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between India and New Zealand at Lord’s, former India captain and current wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni coming in to bat at No. 7 in a low-scoring chase had attracted severe criticism from both fans and former cricketers.

With the opposition fast bowlers deceiving the Indian batsmen with both pace and swing, Dhoni would have been the solution to India’s problems under testing circumstances. The move would have also given him more time to get his eye in.

ALSO READ: Why India were wrong in sending Dinesh Karthik over MS Dhoni vs New Zealand

Coming in to bat at 71/5 in the 23rd over in a 240-run chase, Dhoni stitched a 116-run stand for the seventh wicket alongside all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. Albeit in a losing effort, Dhoni registered his 73rd ODI half-century before getting out.

Virender Sehwag believes MS Dhoni

Former India opening batsman Virender Sehwag has become the latest high-profile who has found fault with the team management’s decision of not sending Dhoni up the order. Sehwag opined that both wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant and all-rounder Hardik Pandya could have chased down the soaring required run rate in the slog overs.

“If MS Dhoni had come up to bat against New Zealand, situation could have been different. Dhoni should have batted when India needed to build the innings.

Hardik [Pandya] could have batted down the order when 9+ runs were needed. Hardik and [Rishabh] Pant could have chased down the high required rate if they came down the order,” Sehwag was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

Going by media reports, India Batting Coach Sanjay Bangar was held responsible for deciding solely Dhoni’s batting position. However, Bangar denied the same in an interview after coming back to India.

Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
icc cricket world cup 2019 India MS Dhoni Virender Sehwag

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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