MS Dhoni Criticizes Batting Collapse After CSK Suffer Historic Defeat To KKR

Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) struggles deepened on Friday night as the team slumped to its fifth consecutive loss in IPL 2025, falling to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) by eight wickets at the Chepauk Stadium.

MS Dhoni, who returned to lead the side mid-season, openly addressed the team’s batting failures after CSK posted a meager 103/9  their lowest-ever total at Chepauk and third-lowest overall in IPL history.

KKR chased down the target with ease, finishing the match with 59 balls to spare — marking CSK’s largest defeat in terms of balls remaining in the tournament’s history.

Narine Shines With Bat And Ball In One-Sided Contest

Sunil Narine delivered a match-winning all-round performance for KKR. He dismantled CSK’s batting line-up with figures of 3 for 13 and returned with the bat to hammer a blistering 44 off just 18 balls.

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His innings featured five towering sixes and two fours, effectively wrapping up the chase. Narine walked away with the Player of the Match award for his outstanding contribution.

Varun Chakaravarthy and Harshit Rana also chipped in with two wickets each, ensuring CSK never recovered from their early setbacks.

Dhoni Points To Lack Of Partnerships And Poor Powerplay Strategy

Speaking at the post-match presentation, MS Dhoni admitted that the team failed to build meaningful partnerships and wasted the powerplay opportunity.

“It has been quite a few nights that haven’t gone our way,” Dhoni acknowledged. “Today, we simply didn’t put enough runs on the board. Losing too many wickets early created pressure, and against quality spinners, that becomes difficult. We lacked partnerships, and with a bit more application, we could have been in a better position.”

Focus On Conditions And Playing To Strengths

Dhoni also emphasized the importance of adapting to match conditions and playing authentic cricket rather than chasing unrealistic targets.

“Our openers are capable of playing proper cricket shots — they don’t slog or hit across the line,” he said.

“It’s crucial not to panic while watching the scoreboard. If we start thinking of scoring 60 runs in just a few overs, it becomes very difficult. We need to get partnerships going, build up through the middle overs, and delay the slog unless we’re in a strong position.”

He urged the team to rely on their strengths and avoid being influenced by external expectations or the style of other teams.

Historic Low For CSK At Chepauk

Friday’s defeat marked several unwanted firsts for the Chennai franchise.

It was the first time in CSK’s IPL history that the team has lost five matches in a row. Additionally, this season is the first in which CSK has suffered three consecutive defeats at their home ground, Chepauk.

With their campaign in disarray, CSK now face mounting pressure to regroup and find form before it’s too late in the tournament.