Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming has revealed that MS Dhoni’s body is not the same as it used to be, and the 43-year-old now decides his own entry points in a match based on his physical condition. Dhoni’s batting position became a major talking point after CSK’s match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, where the former captain walked in at number nine. The debate intensified after Chennai's loss to the Rajasthan Royals. Addressing the media post-match, Fleming explained that Dhoni can no longer bat for extended periods at full intensity. "Yeah, it's a time thing. MS judges it. His knees aren't what they used to be. And he's moving okay, but there's still an attrition aspect to it. He can't bat ten overs running full stick. So he will gauge on the day what he can give us. If the game's in the balance like today, he will go a little bit earlier, and he backs other players when other opportunities are up. So he's balancing that," he said. Despite limitations in his batting, Dhoni continues to contribute in both leadership and wicketkeeping. In all three matches, Dhoni's lightning-fast stumping became a talking point. Fleming pointed out the importance of preserving his role in the team. "I said it last year [as well], he's too valuable to us—leadership and wicketkeeping—to throw him in nine-ten overs. He has actually never done that. So, look, from around 13-14 overs, he's looking to go depending on who's in," he added. CSK's batting woes Chennai Super Kings have now lost back-to-back matches after their opening win against Mumbai Indians. The team currently sits in the 7th spot on the points table and will be eager to make a strong comeback. They are set to return to action on April 5, hosting Delhi Capitals at the Chepauk Stadium. One of the biggest concerns for CSK this season has been their underperforming middle order. Since IPL 2024, the team has struggled to capitalize on the middle overs. Read: Riyan Parag on choosing Sandeep Sharma over Archer for final over vs CSK In IPL 2025, their middle order (batters 4-7) has the lowest average in the competition at 14.90, coupled with the lowest strike rate of 113.88. Additionally, in the crucial middle-over phase (overs 7-15), CSK averages just 19.8 runs per wicket while striking at 122.22.