Under Ruturaj Gaikwad, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) played some ordinary cricket and lost four consecutive games. With MS Dhoni coming back in charge after an unfortunate injury to Gaikwad, CSK fans hoped for a massive turnaround.
Worse luck, Dhoni’s comeback as the CSK leader has coincided with the five-time champions creating a horrible record. Some baffling batting saw them get all out for 103 – their third-worst total in Indian Premier League (IPL) history.
Pathetic batting by CSK
Yes, the pitch was holding up a bit and KKR played their cards too well, but criticism should be directed towards the host, who let down a massive Chepauk crowd with dull and incompetent display. All this, despite MS Dhoni’s desire to bat first!
The collapse was as dramatic as it was unexpected. From 59/2 at one stage, CSK slumped to 75/8 in no time, with their middle-order offering little resistance. The decision to send Ravichandran Ashwin at No. 5 was a surprise, and while the move might have been made to counter the spinners, it backfired.
What followed was a procession of wickets, as CSK failed to stitch together any meaningful partnerships. Six of their batters fell to spin—the most they’ve ever lost to slow bowling in an IPL innings.
Dube only warrior
Shivam Dube stood as the lone bright spot with an unbeaten 31 off 29 balls, while Vijay Shankar, who was dropped twice, managed 29. The final flourish from Dube and Anshul Kamboj in the last couple of overs took CSK just past the 100-run mark, sparing them the ignominy of being bowled out inside 20 overs.
Credit must go to Kolkata Knight Riders’ bowlers, especially Sunil Narine, who returned with figures of 3/13 in his four overs. Harshit Rana’s disciplined 2/16 also set the tone early.
Lowest of lows for CSK
- Second-lowest first-innings score by CSK.
- CSK’s lowest score at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chepauk
- Six wickets vs spin – most for CSK in an IPL innings
Lowest team totals by CSK
| Total | Opp | Year | Inn |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79 | MI | 2013 | 2 |
| 97 | MI | 2022 | 1 |
| 103/9 | KKR | 2025* | 1 |
| 109 | RR | 2008 | 1 |
| 109 | MI | 2019 | 2 |
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