IPL 2025 | CSK should rethink its batting approach

Through the gate: CSK batters have not been able to free their arms consistently this season.
| Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM

It’s still early days for Chennai Super Kings in this season’s IPL as it has played just two games (a win and a loss).

However, the 50-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the MAC Stadium here on Friday exposed the team’s fundamental weakness, which has been apparent since the squad was put together at the auction last year.

A look at the line-up shows that it lacks the dynamism and firepower that most outfits have. CSK’s method of maximising its home advantage by playing on spin-friendly tracks forced the think-tank to spend big bucks on tweakers Noor Ahmad and R. Ashwin.

However, it might have come at the cost of building batting might. Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, and Sam Curran are capable batters but are not known for their destructive abilities. In the first two games, the trio failed to pull its weight, and the Men in Yellow seem heavily reliant on skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rachin Ravindra and Shivam Dube.

Jury is out

Ruturaj, who has been successful as an opener, shifted to No. 3 to accommodate Tripathi at the top, and the jury is out on whether this is an ideal move.One also has to question the batting order, as seen against RCB while chasing 197 when Ashwin walked in at No. 8 ahead of M.S. Dhoni, with CSK reeling at 80 for six in the 13th over. Even as competitors push the envelope of a safe total beyond 200 and even 250, the five-time champion’s line-up doesn’t seem to be built for that.

The team management needs to recognise the warning signs and address them quickly by rethinking the approach or making personnel changes. If not, it could be another year of disappointment.