IPL 2025: CSK have lost five out of their six games. What went wrong in the IPL Mega Auction — did their strategy backfire?
The Chennai Super Kings (CSK), five-time IPL champions, find themselves in a spot of bother in IPL 2025. With five consecutive defeats—including three at their home ground Chepauk—the famed yellow army look far from the dominant unit they once were. For the first time, CSK have lost five consecutive games in their IPL history, and this is also the first time CSK have lost three games in a row at Chepauk in a season. The core of their problems can be traced back to a miscalculated auction strategy that failed to address key gaps in the squad.
Batting struggles: Poor powerplay utilisation & sluggish middle order
This season, CSK haven’t just lost games—they’ve looked lost as a unit. There’s been no rhythm or cohesion in their performances. Their top order has struggled to provide solid starts, the middle order has failed to fire, their bowling attack has been hot and cold despite having the variety. Even their once sharp fielding has looked pedestrian.
The top order, especially, has been a concern. In an era where aggressive starts are crucial, CSK have lagged behind. Their powerplay scores—62/1, 30/3, 42/1, 46/3, 59/0 and 31/2—suggest inconsistency and an absence of intent.
CSK’s middle order has also failed to step up. Players like Shivam Dube (147 in 6 matches), Sam Curran (12 run & 0 wickets in 2 games) , Vijay Shankar ( 102 runs in 4 games), Deepak Hooda (7 runs in 3 innings), Jamie Overton and Ravindra Jadeja (85 runs & 2 wickets) have all underperformed. The only fifty from a CSK middle-order batter so far came off 42 balls—too slow in a tournament where quickfire knocks win matches. What’s also glaring is the lack of batters who can consistently strike at over 160, a standard benchmark in today’s T20 landscape.
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The Dhoni dilemma
Adding to the confusion is MS Dhoni’s role. The 43-year-old legend continues to attract crowds and offers tactical inputs from behind the stumps, but with the bat, his impact has been minimal. So far, he has batted at No. 7, No. 8, and even No. 9 without a clear plan. Against Delhi Capitals, he made a 26-ball 30 while the game was virtually out of reach. At a time when CSK need leaders to take charge, Dhoni’s reluctance to bat higher up the order is costing them momentum.
Lack of a third seamer & spin
The bowling unit hasn’t fared much better. While Matheesha Pathirana and Khaleel Ahmed have done reasonably well, CSK still don’t have a reliable third pacer. Frequent changes and indecisiveness have hurt their bowling combinations. Chepauk, once their spinning fortress, hasn’t come to their aid either. They have tried Nathan Ellis, Mukesh Chowdhary, Anshul Kamboj as their third seamer, but nobody hasn’t been able to produce match winning performances so far. This season, CSK have the lowest strike rate against spin—an ironic twist considering their historic strength on slow tracks.
There’s no question on the quality spinners CSK has, but Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are not performing at their best and haven’t been able to help Noor Ahmad to build pressure and pick wickets.
Read More: CSK last successfully chased a 180+ total in IPL 2018; Where are they going wrong batting second?
Some more observations
CSK’s inability to chase 180+ totals since 2019 is another major concern. In modern T20 cricket, chasing 180 is no longer seen as a daunting task. For CSK, it has become a psychological barrier. Their approach while chasing has been slow and timid, lacking the aggressive intent seen in other sides. The prolific spinner Ashwin has not bowled 20 overs across 6 games and leaked runs at an average of nearly 40 and at an economy of almost 10 and has managed only 5 scalps.
Fielding, a long-time strength of the franchise, has also let them down. Previously, they were slow on the field, but their catching efficiency was exceptional. However, with an average of four dropped catches per match in IPL 2025, they’ve allowed opponents easy runs and missed key moments that could have changed games.
At the heart of it all is their flawed auction strategy. CSK retained aging players and splurged on names like Ravichandran Ashwin, Vijay Shankar and Rahul Tripathi without addressing urgent needs—like a quality finisher or a raw fast bowler. The lack of planning and poor recruitment has left them with a squad struggling to keep pace with modern-day T20 demands.
With only one win in six matches, CSK’s chances of making it to the playoffs look slim unless drastic changes are made. To stay in contention, they must fix their combinations, rethink their approach, and perhaps most importantly, let go of outdated strategies. The roar of the lion has faded for now, and whether it returns will depend on their ability to adapt, evolve, and fight back.
Read More: IPL 2025: Time CSK looked beyond MS Dhoni?
