Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni didn’t mince words after his side suffered yet another setback in IPL 2025, a five-wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. With just two wins from nine games, CSK now find themselves at the bottom of the points table, and Dhoni made it clear the team needs to make serious changes.
Dhoni expressed disappointment
Stepping in as skipper after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s injury, Dhoni voiced frustration over CSK’s poor performance, particularly with the bat. “I think we kept losing wickets and 155 wasn’t a justifiable score,” Dhoni said post-match, referring to CSK’s total of 154, which SRH chased down with 8 balls to spare.
Though he acknowledged that the Chepauk pitch was slightly two-paced, Dhoni felt it offered no excuse for the lacklustre performance. “Our spinners bowled well in the right areas, but we were 15-20 runs short,” he added.
The only silver lining in the match came from Brevis Dewald, who top-scored with a quickfire 42 off 25 balls. Dhoni praised Dewald’s approach but noted the middle-order remains a key concern. “Middle overs are crucial. You either play with smart batsmanship or attack the right areas — we need to improve there.”
Changes are necessary
Reflecting on the broader picture, Dhoni didn’t hold back. “In a tournament like this, if one or two areas are weak, it’s manageable. But when most players aren’t performing, changes are necessary. We’re just not putting enough runs on the board.”
With the playoffs looking increasingly out of reach, CSK will need a major turnaround in their remaining games, both in performance and mindset.
(With PTI Inputs)