Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni hinted at reshaping team strategies for IPL 2026 if they miss playoffs this season following a crushing nine-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium on April 20.
At the bottom of the IPL 2025 standings with four points from eight games, CSK must win all six remaining matches to reach the top four. Their lacklustre performance—managing only 176 on a batsman-friendly pitch and allowing MI to chase it in 16 overs—makes a comeback seem daunting.
“We need to check if we’re playing the right game and posting enough runs,” Dhoni told ESPNcricinfo post-match. “Better catching would help. We’re patching gaps, focusing game by game. If we don’t qualify, we’ll explore new lineups for next year.”
CSK’s heaviest defeat in years and their first to MI since 2022 exposed batting woes. Top scorers Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja struggled, with strike rates barely above 150. Only Jadeja took wickets in MI’s chase.
“We were well below our best,” Dhoni admitted. “Dew was a factor later. Bumrah’s among the top death bowlers globally, and MI used him early. We delayed our big hits—it should’ve gone harder sooner. [Mhatre] played smart, picking shots well; we haven’t seen much of him. Spin was handled well by them. The ball gripped occasionally, but our total wasn’t enough. Giving away too many early runs hurt. We succeed by playing smart cricket, not getting emotional.”