Chennai Super Kings snapped their losing streak with a 5-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Monday. A vintage MS Dhoni turned back time and headlined an emotional victory for Chennai Super Kings. He took over as captain after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of IPL 2025 with an injury and had to face some blunt criticism over his batting performance.
MS Dhoni is Back and How
Against LSG, Dhoni brought up his A-game: he effected three dismissals with the gloves including a stumping, a stunning direct throw for a run-out and a high catch before smashing an unbeaten 26 at a strike-rate of 236.36 in an unbroken 57-run stand with Shivam Dube (43 not out) to script CSK’s win.
MS DHONI – THE GREATEST EVER.
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) April 14, 2025
– 26* (11) when CSK needed 52 in 30 balls. The greatest finisher delivers at the age of 43.pic.twitter.com/7L4sZz4nRq
On a sluggish pitch, the kind CSK would want at home at Chepauk, their bowlers stepped up and restricted a powerful LSG batting line-up to a modest 166 for 7 of their 20 overs.
CSK Win in IPL 2025 After 3 Weeks
CSK made a couple of changes to their XI and one of those changes made a strong impression with the bat. R Ashwin was left out and the spin attack was two dimensional with the onus on Ravindra Jadeja and Noor Ahmad. While Jadeja picked 2 for 24 off 3 overs, Noor went at a mere 3.25 off his 4 overs even though he did not get a wicket.
Chasing 167, CSK were off to a flier with debutant Shaik Rasheed (27 off 19) setting the tone. There was no doubt about how they wanted to get this win – they wanted to sprint rather than stroll. Rachin Ravindra was quick off the blocks too and raced away to a 22-ball 37.
The introduction of Markram alongside Digvesh Rathi and Ravi Bishnoi slowed things down for CSK and there was a middle-order wobble. Rahul Tripathi, Ravindra Jadeja and Vijay Shankar were dismissed cheaply but Impact Player Shivam Dube joined forces with the experienced MS Dhoni sto steer CSK home.
THE POINTS TABLE OF IPL 2025:
— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) April 14, 2025pic.twitter.com/plIVkPqHWe
It was a reminder of the old days when Dhoni would regularly win matches for India and CSK with his calm head – his 11-ball 26 was studded with 4 fours and a six. Dube was less aggressive because he was the anchor and remained not out on 43 as he watched the greater finisher of all times take the game deep and deliver a comprehensive win.
Rishabh Pant Back in Form, But Work Still Needed
Rishah Pant, the LSG captain was the only batter to score a half-century in a low-scoring game and his captaincy was spot-on for the most part but why he chose not to bowl Ravi Bishnoi’s full quota was hard to understand. He was pick of the LSG bowlers, picking 2 for 18 off 3 overs.
The LSG innings followed a different trajectory on a slow and tricky pitch. Their feared top-three Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran totalled only 44 runs among them. The night with the bat for LSG truly belonged to Rishabh Pant, whose form so far has been poor at best. Along with Marsh (30), Pant repaired the innings and showed a wide array of shots against some high-quality spin.
Pant paced his innings well – he was quick to start off and then settled down to a steadier pace before opening up again in the death overs. Pant’s 63 off 49 included 4 fours and 4 sixes. Ayush Badoni (22) and Abdul Samad (20) also played useful cameos to give Lucknow a fighting total on a pitch which had something in for slower bowlers of all types.
