IPL 2025: Dhoni criticizes Chepauk track after win versus LSG
What's the story
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) snapped their five-match losing streak with a win at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
CSK captain MS Dhoni was named the Player of the Match for his brilliant wicket-keeping and for scoring 26* runs off just 11 balls.
In the post-match interview, Dhoni pointed out problems with the pitch at their home ground in Chennai and called for better pitches in future games.
Performance issues
CSK's struggles and Dhoni's pitch criticism
CSK has had a difficult start to the 2025 Indian Premier League season, having won only two out of seven matches.
The team's performance at MA Chidambaram Stadium has been especially disappointing.
Dhoni attributed part of this struggle to the pitch conditions in Chennai, which he believes have hindered their batting potential.
He said, "One of the reasons could be that the Chennai wicket is slightly on the slower side."
Pitch improvement
Dhoni's call for better pitches
Dhoni hinted playing on better wickets could instill confidence in the batters and they could play more aggressively.
He said, "When we have played away from home, the batting unit has done slightly better."
He stressed they don't want their players to play timid cricket.
This isn't the first time a CSK player has complained about Chennai's pitch; head coach Stephen Fleming had earlier raised similar concerns.
Widespread dissatisfaction
Other teams also voice pitch concerns
Notably, CSK isn't the only team to raise issues over the pitches this season.
Kolkata Knight Riders captain Ajinkya Rahane and Lucknow Super Giants bowling coach Zaheer Khan have also raised concerns over the pitch conditions favoring opponents more than home teams.
The complaints underline a growing concern among teams over the impact of pitch conditions on their performance in the league.
Knock
Another run-chase, another unbeaten knock
CSK chased down 167 despite suffering a middle-order collapse. Dhoni, who batted at number seven, accelerated when the asking rate soared.
He hammered 4 fours and a six in his 11-ball 26*. He returned unbeaten for the 99th time in the IPL.
Overall, Dhoni has raced to 5,373 IPL runs. His strike-rate in the ongoing edition reads 158.53.