Heading into the IPL 2025 contest against Rishabh Pant's Lucknow Super Giants, MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings have everything to do. The five-time champions find themselves at the lost spot in the standings with just 2 points from six matches. One of the most successful franchises in the tournament's history has lost five back-to-back matches, and the time is running out for CSK to make a bid for the playoffs.
However, former Australia and CSK opening batter Matthew Hayden believes MS Dhoni and co would not make many changes to their playing XI despite being thrashed by eight wickets in the previous encounter against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Hayden reckons chopping and changing isn't a part of CSK's DNA, and hence, one cannot expect the franchise to make a plethora of changes. In the previous match against KKR, CSK managed just 103/9 in the allotted twenty overs as the batters failed to get going, especially struggling inside the powerplay.
“I doubt we’ll see major changes—it’s just not in CSK’s DNA. Their approach will likely be: back yourselves and trust the process. They might not be the team that scores 60 runs in the powerplay, but they have to find a point of difference," Hayden said on JioStar.
"Without change, it becomes insanity—doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Whether they recognise and act on that is still uncertain, but something clearly needs to shift," he added.
Can MS Dhoni bring about a change in fortunes?
{{/usCountry}}"Without change, it becomes insanity—doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Whether they recognise and act on that is still uncertain, but something clearly needs to shift," he added.
Can MS Dhoni bring about a change in fortunes?
{{/usCountry}}Ruturaj Gaikwad has already been ruled out of the tournament due to an elbow fracture. The five-time champions have brought Ayush Mhatre, 17, on board as the replacement. However, he will join the squad ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
CSK are in desperate need of their talisman, MS Dhoni, and one needs to see whether the former India captain can rally the team around and bring about a change in fortunes.
However, before the contest against Lucknow, CSK head coach Stephen Fleming made a candid admission, saying Dhoni doesn't have a magic wand and the entire team needs to step up to get out of this slump.
"Dhoni's influence will be always prominent but he's not a soothsayer, he hasn't got a magic wand. He can't just rub it over the side; otherwise, he would have brought it out earlier," Fleming told reporters at a pre-match press conference.
"It's a case of us working very hard along with MS to turn it around, and certainly, in both of our cricketing careers, we've been in situations that require a lot of energy, and we've got to make sure that the energy is put in the right place," he added.