After Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) in IPL 2025, captain MS Dhoni acknowledged that his team had underperformed, failing to post a competitive total. Despite valuable half-centuries from Shivam Dube (50) and Ravindra Jadeja (53*), CSK could only manage 176/5. MI responded with ease, propelled by a solid half-century from Rohit Sharma and an explosive 68 off 30 balls from Suryakumar Yadav, securing a comfortable victory.
MS Dhoni admitted that a total of 176 was not enough, particularly on a pitch where dew would play a significant role in the second half of the match. He explained, “We were quite below par because we all knew that dew would come in, and the middle overs were the time to capitalize. I felt that we should have started our slog earlier, and even if Bumrah went for runs, it would have been a positive. We missed the opportunity to add more runs in those crucial overs.”
He also highlighted Suryakumar Yadav’s brilliant performance against the CSK spinners, acknowledging that the dew made it harder for the bowlers to control the game. MS Dhoni pointed out that while the ball still gripped occasionally, the conditions were difficult to manage. “When we’re not playing good cricket, we must be practical and not get too emotional about it,” MS Dhoni said, reflecting on the team’s struggles.
Looking ahead, MS Dhoni dropped a significant hint about CSK’s strategy for the future. While the team still harbors hopes of making the playoffs this season, he made it clear that the focus would shift towards planning for next year if they fail to qualify. “We’re just trying to plug in the holes and focus on winning the games in front of us,” MS Dhoni said. “But if we don’t qualify, it will be important to identify the right combination for next year, ensuring we have a settled playing XI.”
The loss left CSK at the bottom of the points table, while MI surged to the sixth spot with their third consecutive win, increasing the pressure on MS Dhoni’s men to regroup and plan for the remainder of the season.
