Chennai Super Kings faced their third defeat in four matches in IPL 2025, with the side slumping to a 25-run loss against Delhi Capitals at home on Saturday. MS Dhoni, the side's legendary former captain, failed to turn the fortunes for the Super Kings in the 184-run chase despite arriving to bat in the 11th over; walking in at 74/5 in the 11th over, Dhoni was the last recognised batter standing. What followed, however, was a curious innings that raised more questions than answers.
Dhoni finished unbeaten on 30 off 26 balls – a knock that, on paper, might seem decent. But in the context of the game, it proved painfully slow. The required run rate had already started to climb when he arrived, and while the need of the hour was to build the partnership, Dhoni didn't seem to attempt big shots at all throughout the middle overs of the chase. His first 18 balls fetched just 13 runs, with only a couple of twos and the rest mostly singles.
His partner, Vijay Shankar, who had already faced 23 deliveries by the time Dhoni came in, also failed to shift gears. The pair rotated strike for most of the middle overs but couldn’t find boundaries – a period of play that saw the asking rate balloon to over 22 runs per over by the final three overs.
Even as Shankar made a few attempts to break free, Dhoni remained passive until the final three overs.
{{/usCountry}}Even as Shankar made a few attempts to break free, Dhoni remained passive until the final three overs.
{{/usCountry}}It was only in the 18th and 19th overs that Dhoni showed flashes of his aggressive hitting – slicing a four past backward point and launching a six over long-on. But by then, the game had already slipped away. CSK needed 64 off the final three overs – a near-impossible equation that would’ve required sustained ball-striking from both ends.
The fans were furious at Dhoni's approach and took to X to express their frustration. Many questioned the logic of taking the chase so deep, especially when the odds were already stacked against them.
Debate over Dhoni's future
For a team that has long relied on Dhoni’s calmness under pressure, this was a rare outing where his conservatism worked against the side. And while fans were thrilled to see him bat at Chepauk, the knock has only fuelled fresh debates around Dhoni's place in the side.
In the match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this season, Dhoni walked in to bat at no.9 despite a high-scoring run-chase. The side eventually lost the match by 50 runs.
With the defeat against DC, CSK are now eighth with two points in four matches and a Net Run Rate (NRR) of -0.851.