MS Dhoni's Toughest Seasons in the IPL With Bat

From iciness when needed to hitting sixes at the finish, MS Dhoni is celebrated for what he’s done in the IPL. You can tell by his average and strike rate that he performed at the top of his game for many years. Yet, even the most skilled players have times when they can’t seem to hit as well as usual. Rarely do these seasons in "Thala's" career show how the demands of T20 specialists can shift and the issues faced by a veteran who is getting older.

Despite having an outstanding IPL record overall, Dhoni's batting averages did noticeably decline in a handful of his seasons when compared year over year. Fans have been used to seeing fewer meaningful innings, a lower run total, and a muted strike rate during these times.

Here's an analysis of MS Dhoni's worst seasons with the bat in the IPL:

1. IPL 2017: The Pune Pitstop (290 runs in 16 matches)

While playing for Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) that year, Dhoni did not score impressively with his bat. He had a batting average of 26.36, scored 290 runs, and played at a strike rate of 116.00 across 16 games. Although RPS made it to the final, Dhoni generally played in the lower order, so he didn’t have as many opportunities to make those huge shots we usually see him take.

2. IPL 2020: The Post-Retirement Blues (200 runs in 14 matches)

Dhoni’s retirement from international cricket earlier in 2020 meant his batting at the UAE’s 2020 IPL was difficult. He managed 200 runs in 14 matches, averaging 25 per innings and scoring at a pace of 116. This is the first time he has not crossed the fifty-run mark once this season. After ending in seventh place, CSK showed that they struggled last season, especially since Dhoni was less influential with his batting.

3. IPL 2021: The Uncharacteristic Misfire (114 runs in 16 matches)

There is no question that Dhoni's 2021 season was his weakest for batting statistics. He could manage just 114 runs off 16 matches, finishing with a personal lowest average of 16.28 and a strike rate of 106.54. He had never managed less than 150 runs in any IPL match before. While Chennai won the IPL for a fourth time, the top players shouldered the batting, and Dhoni hardly got a good chance to speed up the scoring. Though the highest number of runs he scored in that match was 18, which fans didn’t expect from such a bold player.

4. IPL 2023: The Lowest Tally in a Title-Winning Season (104 runs in 16 matches)

Chennai Super Kings may have won their fifth title, but Dhoni’s performance as a batsman was his poorest in the IPL, with just 104 runs from 16 matches. He averaged 26, but his strike rate improved a lot to 182.46, mainly because he batted lower down the order. Much of the team’s achievements hid his poor numbers at the bat, but the fewer innings and focus on making a difference quickly indicated a new way he was batting.

5. IPL 2025: A Recent Struggle

Much of the criticism this IPL 2025 season has been directed toward Dhoni’s batting. Currently, the season isn’t finished yet, but he now has 196 runs in 13 games, with a strike rate of 135.17 and an average of 24.50. It’s being discussed whether it is wise for him to stay in the IPL now, because despite flashes of brilliance, his overall performance has let CSK down.