The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are still at the bottom of the points standings after losing for the sixth time in the current IPL 2025 season on Sunday.
The Chennai Super Kings lost to the Mumbai Indians, their bitter rivals, by nine wickets at Wankhede on Sunday, resulting in their sixth loss of the current IPL 2025 season. Chennai is currently on the verge of being the first team to be eliminated from the playoff race after the loss, which placed them in last place in the points standings.
The defeat also raised doubts about Chennai’s season-long preparation, as former CSK players and Indian greats Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina questioned their approach to the auction.
Speaking on television during Chennai’s match against Mumbai, former vice-captain Raina said that the five-time winners had lost half of the battle at the auction table last November because they had not pursued available players like KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant.
“Chahin na kahin inse (CSK) auction acha nahi hua hai mujhe lagta hai. Talented players and young people are the major focus of the auction. Whoa, what about the players? Auction ke liye aap itna paisa leke jaate hai. KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, and Aapne Rishabh Pant are all chhoda. CSK team ko kabhi aise nahi dekha struggle karte hue (I think they had a bad auction someplace). The auction included a large number of young people and outstanding athletes. They’re where? Despite having a lot of money, you left Rahul, Pant, and Iyer at the auction. Raina remarked, “I have never witnessed CSK struggle like this.”
Harbhajan, who was also in the commentary box, agreed with Raina when he said that Chennai’s talent scouts were to blame for this season’s disaster.
“CSK bohot badi rahi hai team.” Inke paas woh choice tha unn players ko le sakte the auction, jab yeh main gaye. Game-changing wali innings khel sake bhi waise yuva dikhe nahi jo. Thoda sa jo inke talent pool ko jo hunt karte hai, unko bhi bitha ke puchhna chahiye ki bhai, kya apne hume information di thi jiske chalte humne yeh logon ko select kiya tha (CSK is a large tam). They might have chosen those players at the auction. They did not prove to be game-changers, even among the younger generation. Since the selection was made based on the preferences of the talent scouts, it would be beneficial to ask them about them,” Harbhajan stated.
Next up for Chennai will be Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 25 and Punjab Kings on April 30. CSK must win all of their remaining games to finish the league stage with 16 points in order to maintain their hopes of making the playoffs. In order to increase their net run rate, they must also guarantee victories by larger margins.
Conclusion
Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh’s impassioned on-air comments as the Chennai Super Kings teeter on the verge of an unprecedented early IPL 2025 departure represent the mounting dissatisfaction among both fans and past players. A broader discussion on CSK’s team strategy and future direction has been triggered by their scathing criticism of auction decisions, namely the absence of influential players like Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer. Even while their remarks were emotionally heated, they highlight a stark reality: a team cannot succeed based just on legacy. Given the difficult questions being posed, CSK is at a critical juncture that need introspection, reorganisation, and a fresh outlook if they hope to regain their previous supremacy in the upcoming seasons.
