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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni offered a candid assessment of his team’s performance after a disappointing defeat to Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL 2025 clash on Sunday. CSK managed 176/5, well below par on a dewy evening in Mumbai, despite fighting half-centuries from Shivam Dube (50) and Ravindra Jadeja (53*).
In response, MI cruised to victory with an unbeaten 114-run stand between Rohit Sharma, who struck his first half-century of the season, and a fiery Suryakumar Yadav, who hammered 68 off just 30 balls. Their effort sealed a comfortable win for MI and earned Rohit the Player of the Match award.
Speaking after the game, Dhoni admitted that CSK fell short of a competitive total.
“We were quite below par. Everyone knew dew would play a big role in the second half. We had the chance to capitalize in the middle overs, especially once Bumrah came in early for death bowling. That was the window to push harder. We needed at least 15–20 more runs on this track,” Dhoni explained.
He also praised MI’s batting, particularly Suryakumar Yadav, for expertly navigating CSK’s spin attack despite the challenging pitch conditions.
“Surya played spin very well, and although there was some grip, dew made it slightly easier. In the powerplay, we gave away too many runs. That made things difficult. Our strength has been playing good, smart cricket. When we fall short, it’s important to stay practical and not get too emotional,” he added.
Dhoni emphasized that CSK would continue fighting for a playoff spot, but if that goal becomes unachievable, the focus will shift toward building a strong team for next season.
“The question is whether we’re playing the right brand of cricket. We’ve had tough seasons before—2020 comes to mind. If we can’t qualify, we must secure a core playing XI for next year. We don’t want too many changes. The aim is still to win the remaining games, but also to plan ahead,” he said.
Following the loss, CSK remains at the bottom of the IPL 2025 points table, while Mumbai Indians moved up to sixth, marking their third consecutive victory.
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