Former India star Suresh Raina has pointed fingers at the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) management for the team’s poor IPL 2025 campaign, suggesting that MS Dhoni had minimal involvement in the auction strategy — a key reason behind their struggles.
CSK, one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, have lost seven of their nine games so far and are dangerously close to a first-round elimination. They currently sit at the bottom of the 10-team points table.
In their latest outing, CSK fell to a disappointing five-wicket loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk on Friday (April 25). The team’s desperate changes, including handing Dewald Brevis a debut and promoting Ayush Mhatre to open, failed to spark a turnaround.
Speaking on Star Sports, Raina said,
“Kashi sir has been handling the administration for 30 to 40 years. Rupa Ma’am manages cricket operations, buying players and maintaining the core group. But everyone knows the players bought this time weren’t selected properly.”
Raina clarified that Dhoni’s influence at the auctions has often been overstated, saying:
“They always say MS Dhoni makes the final call. But to be honest, I never attended any auction discussions. MS might get a call whether to approve a player, but he’s not deeply involved.”
“Dhoni Can’t Have This Type of Auction”
Highlighting Dhoni’s unmatched work ethic compared to others in the squad, Raina said:
“Look at Dhoni — 43 years old, keeping wickets, captaining, carrying the team. Yet, players earning ₹18 crore, ₹17 crore, ₹12 crore are not responding to the captain. When you’ve never lost to certain teams before and now you are, something is wrong.”
He questioned the attitude of some players and their inability to step up in crucial moments.
“You have to ask — is this player a match-winner? Can I trust him in the next match? The same mistakes are repeated.”
Big Changes on the Horizon?
Raina hinted that MS Dhoni might already be planning a major overhaul.
“MS will sit down alone. He must have made up his mind. The way he walked off after the loss — it’s clear there’s going to be a serious meeting.”
With the season slipping away, all eyes are on CSK to see whether Dhoni can inspire one last turnaround — or if this campaign signals the beginning of a new era.
