Chennai Super Kings Struggle as MS Dhoni Loses Hope for IPL 2025 Playoffs
Chennai Super Kings (CSK), one of the most successful teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), are struggling in the 2025 season. After losing their sixth match, this time to Mumbai Indians by 9 wickets at Wankhede Stadium, CSK are at the bottom of the IPL points table. Stand-in captain MS Dhoni has almost given up hope of reaching the playoffs this year. Instead, he is focusing on building a strong team for IPL 2026.
In the match against Mumbai Indians, CSK batted first and scored 176 runs for 5 wickets. However, this total was not enough. Mumbai chased the score easily, thanks to the dew on the field, which made batting easier in the second half. CSK’s batting, especially in the middle overs, was too slow. Dhoni pointed out that the team failed to take advantage of the middle overs, where they could have scored more runs.
The match started with a new player, Ayush Mhatre, who played a quick 35 runs off just 15 balls. But the other opener, Shaik Rasheed, was slow, scoring at just one run per ball. CSK scored 48 runs in the first 6 overs, which was decent but not great. Things got worse in the middle overs. From the 6th to the 14th over, CSK added only 55 runs, with a run rate of 6.90. Players like Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube were too cautious and didn’t hit big shots. By the time they started scoring faster in the last five overs, it was too late. CSK managed 73 runs in those final overs, but the total of 176 was not enough.
Dhoni explained after the match, “We knew dew would help the team batting second. We needed to score more runs in the middle overs. Mumbai’s bowlers, especially Jasprit Bumrah, bowled well, and we didn’t take enough risks. If we had scored 10-15 more runs, it could have made a difference.”
🔙 to the process. #WhistlePodu 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/YNvVrNGh9z
— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 21, 2025
Why Is CSK Struggling This Season?
CSK’s problems this season are not new. Their batting has been slow in the middle overs in many matches. The team has tried experienced players like Vijay Shankar and Rahul Tripathi, but they haven’t been able to solve the issue. CSK need a batter who can score quickly in the middle overs, but they don’t seem to have the right player for that role yet.
Moreover, CSK’s approach has been cautious. While they still have a mathematical chance to qualify for the playoffs, it’s a tough task. They would need to win almost all their remaining matches and hope other teams lose. Dhoni knows this is unlikely. Instead, he is focusing on the future. He wants to find the best combination of players for next year’s IPL. “We’re trying to fix our weaknesses,” Dhoni said. “If we don’t qualify this year, we need to make sure we have a strong team for 2026.”
A Glimmer of Hope with Young Players
Despite the struggles, there are some positive signs for CSK. Young players like Ayush Mhatre and Shaik Rasheed have shown promise. Mhatre, in particular, impressed Dhoni with his fearless batting at the top of the order. “Ayush played really well,” Dhoni said. “He played his shots and showed confidence. That’s what we need at the top.”
Another player, Dewald Brevis, could also help CSK. Brevis is known for his aggressive batting and could be perfect for the middle overs. However, both Mhatre and Brevis are young and need time to settle into the team. Unfortunately, with CSK running out of matches this season, there isn’t much time to experiment.
For now, CSK will take it one game at a time. Dhoni’s focus is clear: even if they don’t make the playoffs, he wants to build a team that can come back stronger next year. The team needs to find a balance between experienced players and young talent. They also need to work on their batting strategy, especially in the middle overs, to score more runs.
