CSK players during their IPL 2025 match vs DC at Chepauk.© BCCI
Chennai Super Kings are going through a hard time in Indian Premier League 2025. The side kicked off its campaign with a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians but disappointed in the following three games, losing all of them. CSK were outplayed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 50 runs at Chepauk before suffering a narrow six-run loss at the hands of Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. This was not the end as CSK went on lose yet another match, once again at their home ground. The side was defeated by Delhi Capitals with a margin of 25 runs and got to an embarrassing low.
This was the first in 15 years that CSK lost to DC at their home ground. Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) had registered a six-wicket win over CSK in a league match in IPL 2010.
Notably, the loss that CSK suffered at the hands of RCB this season was also their second defeat to the side and first in 17 years at home. RCB had registered a 14-run win over CSK at Chepauk back in IPL 2008.
After five-time champions CSK suffered their second successive home defeat in IPL 2025, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted that the power-play phase is a major concern for them in both batting and bowling.
At the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Saturday, CSK were clueless yet again regarding their batting make-up and were off the mark in terms of executing their shots as they eventually finished at 158 for 5 in the chase of 184.
Apart from inept bowling, CSK’s batting unravelled yet again in the power-play, as they were reduced to 46 for 3, despite including Devon Conway in the playing eleven. Their power-play run rate of 7.4 is currently the lowest amongst all ten teams in IPL 2025.
“Not today, since the last three games, it’s not really going our way. We’re trying our level best in all three departments. I think powerplay is definitely a concern for us, in the batting and bowling departments. We’ve spotted that since the second game,” said Gaikwad.
“We’re trying, but it’s just not happening. I just think that we are over-concerned or tentative about who’s coming on to bowl in the powerplay… we’re losing a wicket in the first or second over. We’re just over-concerned about things in the powerplay,” said the dejected CSK captain after the match ended.
(With IANS Inputs)
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