IPL 2025: Would the setback lead CSK to adopt a more attacking approach? MS Dhoni disagrees

There's rarely any aspect in the CSK gameplay to praise in the ongoing IPL season. Anyone who tuned into the league straight from this season would find it utterly difficult to believe that it's the team with five IPL trophies. The entire batting order has failed miserably match after match, while the bowling attack has been pulled back by the sloppy fielding, an issue very unlike Chennai Super Kings. The pit grew deeper for the Yellow Brigade when Ruturaj Gaikwad, the regular skipper and their most reliable batter in the lineup, was ruled out of the entire season due to an elbow injury. Following his departure, the captaincy returned to MS Dhoni. However, the restart of Dhoni's captaincy tenure witnessed a rueful, their worst batting performance in the league, in the CSK vs KKR IPL 2025 match.

The unending batting woes of CSK in IPL 2025

IPL 2025 has marked the first season for CSK to lose five consecutive matches. The 8-wicket defeat in the CSK vs KKR fixture marked their fifth loss straight in the season. Moreover, the 103-run total that CSK managed against the defending champions at Chepauk is now the lowest total by any team in the ongoing season so far. To add to the rues of the five-time champions, the CSK vs KKR match marked their third straight loss at their den, at what remains the remnants of their fortress at Chepauk. There are multiple issues with the CSK team this season, only amplified by the exit of Ruturaj Gaikwad. While the bowling could still be given a pass, the batting department looks like nothing but a gaping void, with the top order and the middle order entirely ineffective.

After trying Rahul Tripathi at the start of IPL 2025, CSK brought back Devon Conway to partner Rachin Ravindra as the opener. Ruturaj kept his spot at No. 3 before the injury ruled him out. However, no changes have borne fruits for the team, with the openers providing no support to the team. The 61-run stand between Rachin and Conway is the highest partnership managed by the CSK openers. Moreover, the PBKS vs CSK match was the first and only instance of CSK playing through the powerplay without losing any wickets. A look at the stats clearly shows that Chennai Super Kings are lagging behind the other teams in their powerplay hitting. The 7.5 managed by CSK is the worst scoring rate in the powerplay by any team in IPL 2025.

MS Dhoni backs 'authentic' play despite the shambolic defeat in the CSK vs KKR match

Despite the puddle, MS Dhoni, following the heavy defeat in the CSK vs KKR game, backed his batters to play their natural game. Prior to the match, Dhoni talked about how Ruturaj Gaikwad times his shot instead of slogging. In the post-match presentation, the CSK skipper reiterated his views about the batters. While Dhoni accepted that the CSK batters have failed to build partnerships, the skipper expressed that slogging instead of playing their authentic game would eventually lead to failure. Moreover, the seasoned champion talked about steering clear of comparing their game to other teams and playing a certain way to match the scoring level.

“What is important is to see the conditions, couple of games we have done decently well, back your strengths and play the shots you can play. Not match to someone's else play,” said Dhoni.

“Our openers are good openers, play authentic cricket shots, they don't slog or look to hit across the line. It is important not to get desperate seeing the scorecard. If we start looking for 60 with our lineup it will be very difficult for us. Get partnerships going, maybe capitalise in the middle and later overs and if we lose wickets, the middle order has to do their job differently. And the slog will be delayed for quite a while," he added.

In the league where 200 has become the par score, CSK seem to be lagging way behind. There has been significant chatter about the five-time champions not adapting to the requirements of modern-day T20 cricket. Runs come in slow as the openers take their time to assess the conditions, while the powerplay slips away from the team. In the CSK vs KKR game itself, while the entire home team bundled up for 103, KKR rushed off to 71 in the powerplay before chasing the easy target in the 11th over at Chepauk.

If it's their rigidity to play the 'natural' game that's holding CSK back in IPL 2025 is a point of contention. However, MS Dhoni, the five-time champion, has never been the one to pay heed to chatters and has ruled out slogging out of their plans for the future ahead. Meanwhile, CSK remain in an immediate need to turn things around before they bury their streak of entering the playoffs every alternate season.