Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star player and stand-in captain for this season, MS Dhoni, feels his team still can pull themselves from this position after suffering a historic low in IPL 2025. For the first time, CSK lost five straight games in a season, with the latest coming against the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home by eight wickets on Friday.

Advertisment

Dhoni urged the team to ‘look deep inside’ after being crushed by KKR, which completed the run chase with almost ten overs remaining.

“I think it's quite a few nights haven't gone our way. What is important is to look deep down inside. I feel the challenge was there, but it's important to accept that challenge, figure out ways how you'll tackle the difficult deliveries and then look to get runs on the board. Today, I felt we didn't really have enough runs on the board,” Dhoni said after the game.

Dhoni’s return to the toss after 683 days did cheer the crowd, but his team’s horrific batting left them shattered and hopeless. Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first, with his team failing to register a fighting total on a difficult Chepauk track. 

Advertisment

Thanks to Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 31 and a gritty 29 from Vijay Shankar earlier, CSK could cross the 100-run-mark, scoring 103/9 in 20 overs – their lowest team total at home and third lowest overall. 

Also read | IPL 2025: MS Dhoni’s dismissal sparks debate as CSK captain falls cheaply to old foe Narine - Watch

"Yes, it did [stop], but it has been the case over here," Dhoni said about the conditions. 

Advertisment

"Whenever we bowled first, even in the second innings, it stopped a bit. But today, in the first innings, also it was stopping. But also, if you lose too many wickets, it looks very different because it puts pressure on the batsman who is going in and with quality spinners, it becomes slightly difficult, and we never really got any kind of partnerships going. 

“So, that also makes it tough. I feel overall a bit more partnerships, a bit more runs, a bit more application, and we'll be on track,” he continued.

‘No need to match someone’

Unlike every other team this season, CSK has failed to score runs inside the Powerplay, with the results there for everyone to see. Addressing this issue, Dhoni said his team has some of the best openers and batters (lower down the order), but failing to apply themselves better has cost them. 

Dhoni added that they are not playing to match anyone else; instead, they want to read the conditions better in the games to come and make the most of it.

“What is important is our openers are good, and they just need to back themselves and play authentic cricket shots. They're not the ones who will start slogging or look to hit across the line. But what is also important is not to get desperate seeing the scoreboard,” Dhoni added.

(With inputs from agencies)