What’s Going Wrong With CSK? Rocky Start in IPL 2025 Leaves Fans Stunned
Chennai Super Kings (CSK), a team that has won the Indian Premier League (IPL) five times, is off to a rough start in the 2025 season. After four matches, they’ve only won one game and lost three. This poor run has shocked many fans, especially since CSK is known for being strong and steady. One of the biggest surprises was a loss to Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at their home ground, Chepauk Stadium. It was RCB’s first win there since 2008, making it a tough moment for CSK. The team’s players are finding it hard to score runs, and even their star, MS Dhoni, is struggling to play fast or win matches at the end.
Shane Watson, who used to play for CSK and now talks about the game on TV, shared his thoughts on what’s going wrong. He thinks the team’s leaders, coach Stephen Fleming and captain MS Dhoni, don’t have a clear plan this time. Watson said CSK usually figures out their best players and roles before the season starts, especially after a big auction where teams pick new players. But this year, after four games, they’re still changing things around, which isn’t normal for them.
Watson pointed out that in the past, Fleming and MS Dhoni always knew exactly what each player should do. Whether it was who bats first or who bowls, the plan stayed the same. “When I was with CSK, everything was set before the tournament began,” Watson said. “But now, it looks like they’re still trying to fix some weak spots.” He believes this lack of a clear idea is why CSK is struggling so much early on.
Watson, Vijay, Raina and Rayudu at the Chepauk.
– The CSK heritage. 🦁 pic.twitter.com/hkoOAy01jQ
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 23, 2025
One fix Watson suggests is for Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra to open the batting together. Opening means batting first, and Watson thinks these two are the best pair for the job. In the last game, CSK tried this, and Watson liked it. He said it made the team stronger, with captain Ruturaj Gaikwad batting at number three. Before that, when Rahul Tripathi was opening, the team had too many problems in their lineup. Watson feels Conway and Ravindra at the top give CSK a better chance to score runs and set up the game.
Even with MS Dhoni not playing as fast or finishing matches like he used to, Watson still supports him. Dhoni, a fan favorite, is great at keeping wickets and can still win games if the other batters do well early on. “MSD’s job now is to finish things off in the last few overs,” Watson said. “He’s still doing that really well when the top players give him a good start. The team just needs to help him out more.” Watson believes Dhoni’s skills are still there, but the rest of CSK needs to step up.
CSK’s slow start in IPL 2025 has been a big surprise, and fans are hoping the team can turn things around soon. With Watson’s ideas and Dhoni’s experience, there’s still time for CSK to find their rhythm and get back to winning ways. For now, though, it’s a bumpy ride for the yellow army.
