The IPL 2025 has been a nightmare for Chennai Super Kings. The once-dominant franchise finds itself grappling with a string of losses, exposed vulnerabilities and a desperate search for answers. Four consecutive defeats at Chepauk have deepened the gloom and the absence of skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad has only worsened their slide.
CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming admitted that Chennai miscalculated and made mistakes at the previous year’s mega auction and the results are visible in their IPL 2025 campaign. Speaking after the loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, he acknowledged that other teams had adapted better to the evolving demands of the game. Reflecting on the struggles, he said that auction planning is not an exact science and maintaining success in such a dynamic league is becoming harder. He also spoke about the exhausting nature of auction preparations, hinting at how small mistakes could snowball over a long season.
Stephen Fleming stressed that injuries and a persistent lack of form among key players had disrupted their campaign. He remarked that the team had often been forced to change strategies, chasing solutions that never quite materialised.
Veteran MS Dhoni who is leading CSK in absence of Ruturaj Gaikwad was also visibly dejected. He shared his frustrations too, pointing out that it becomes almost impossible to win matches when multiple core players lose their form at the same time.
Chennai now faces a must-win situation in their upcoming home clash against Punjab Kings on April 30, hoping to salvage pride in a rapidly fading season.
