3 Major Mistakes CSK Made in IPL 2025 – exclusive story
- By Dr. AK Rana
Everything went wrong for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) this season — their batting was inconsistent, their bowling looked toothless at times, and even their usually sharp fielding wasn’t top-notch.
But if you want to zoom in and find the one thing that truly broke their campaign?
…
It was their opening partnership.
Or rather, the absence of one.
Throughout the tournament, CSK kept shuffling their top three like a deck of cards, never quite dealing the right hand.
They started with Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi, and Ruturaj Gaikwad — a trio that looked promising on paper but fizzled on the pitch. In desperation, they tried Devon Conway, Ayush Mhatre, and even Sam Curran at the top.
…
The result?
An endless string of early wickets in the powerplay, and no solid partnerships to build upon.
Rachin Ravindra’s case, in particular, turned into a painful saga. Brought in last year with high hopes and backed again this year, Ravindra started with a spark but collapsed soon after — both last season and this one.
His brutal downfall has been a costly blow for CSK.
…
Why is he not scoring?
Is it form?
Confidence?
Or is he heading down the path of Glenn Maxwell, who famously doesn’t care much for the IPL these days?
(Ha… ha… or maybe not.)
Whatever the reason, Ravindra’s failure — and CSK’s over-reliance on him and other youngsters — meant they never fixed their opening puzzle.
He was finally dropped for the last two matches, and surprise, CSK looked a little better. Not great, but at least more stable.
But here’s the big picture: in T20, your opening pair is your foundation.
If they stand tall till at least halfway through the innings with a decent score, the power-hitters can do their job.
If they collapse early, the entire structure crumbles. And that’s exactly what happened to CSK.
Their middle order tried — they fought till the end — but when you’re always playing catch-up, you usually fall short.
Even MS Dhoni, never one to mince words, hinted at an overhaul in his interview: they’ll build a stronger team at the next auction. Translation? The current squad didn’t click, and changes are coming.
Just look at the teams who made it to the knockouts — they all had one thing in common: solid, reliable openers. The struggling teams? Same story as CSK — opening pair woes, early wickets, and exits before the playoffs.
Let’s hope CSK comes back stronger next year, with a pair at the top that doesn’t just survive the powerplay but sets the tone.
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