Former Australia captain and Punjab Kings head coach Ricky Ponting has thrown his support behind MS Dhoni despite his below-par performances with the bat in IPL 2025. Speaking to The Indian Express during the Idea Exchange segment, Ponting dismissed doubts over Dhoni’s value in the Chennai Super Kings setup. “Well, his keeping is not getting any worse, that’s one thing I do know; he’s not missing many standing up to the stumps against the spinners, as good as ever,” Ponting told The Indian Express. Ponting, who has shared the field with MS Dhoni in both international and IPL, was full of admiration for the former Indian captain for his wicket-keeping skills. Despite questions around his limited batting appearances this season, Ponting highlighted that Dhoni remains a core part of CSK’s strategy. “Look, you are not going to argue with anything CSK do, they are one of the most successful teams in IPL history. They have had consistent coaching for a long time and generally make the right decisions.” Read: Watch: Kavya Maran's reaction to SRH batters' dismissal goes viral 'Still dangerous in the IPL' Ponting further noted that with the impact player rule in place, Dhoni’s role has naturally shifted to finishing games rather than anchoring innings. He acknowledged that while Dhoni may now come in towards the end, his ability to deliver in those final moments still makes him a serious threat. “With the impact player rule now, Dhoni bats after other serious ball strikers within their own right. I guess he has played a slightly diminished role in the last couple of years, just coming in for the last 10-12 balls and trying to make a big impact. Dhoni is still dangerous in the IPL.” At 43, Dhoni is continuing to perform behind the stumps but has failed to contribute big with the bat. The former CSK captain has notched up 76 runs with a strike rate close to 138. Despite his numbers, CSK have won only one out of their four matches so far and are in the 9th spot in the points table.