"Dhoni doesn't come to bat before the 17th over" - Aakash Chopra on CSK's potential challenges in IPL 2025

Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the potential lack of batting firepower could be one of the challenges for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025. He pointed out that MS Dhoni, one of their big-hitting finishers, generally doesn't come to bat before the latter stages of their innings.

Dhoni smoked 161 runs at a strike rate of 220.54 in 11 innings in IPL 2024. However, he generally batted down the order and faced just 73 deliveries last season across those 11 knocks.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener picked the probable lack of destructive batters as the Chennai Super Kings' only potential challenge in IPL 2025.

"I am not able to find too many of them. When we look at the Chennai squad, too many challenges are not seen. They probably lack a little firepower because you have a legit finisher in the form of Shivam Dube, and you have one in the form of Dhoni, but Dhoni doesn't come to bat before the 17th over," he said (6:45).

Chopra noted that Ravindra Jadeja is not known for powerful hits and that CSK's top order primarily comprises steady players.

"The power you talk about in T20 games hasn't been seen in Ravindra Jadeja. You might see Rahul Tripathi playing, and then Devon Conway at the top, they are more like grafters. They are collectors but maybe not powerful strikers. I had to do some nitpicking to find challenges," he observed.

Aakash Chopra opined that the absence of a death-bowling partner for Matheesha Pathirana is CSK's perceived weakness. He noted that Khaleel Ahmed and Sam Curran could do the job, with Jamie Overton being another option.

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"They might not even need to play Noor" - Aakash Chopra on CSK's potential strategies in IPL 2025

CSK acquired Noor Ahmad for ₹10 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. [P/C: Getty]

Reflecting on the Chennai Super Kings' potential strategies in IPL 2025, Aakash Chopra opined that they might start the season on flat pitches at home and would thereby not need Noor Ahmad's services in their first few games.

"What will be their strategy? They will start playing on slow pitches if they wish to play three spinners, or else I feel they would play on good pitches and they could try a slightly different composition where they might not even need to play Noor. So initially on flattish pitches and then as the pitches get worn out, you may actually look at three spinners," he said (11:15) in the same video.

The cricketer-turned-analyst added that CSK would want either Ruturaj Gaikwad or Devon Conway to play the anchor's role and lay the platform for the others to bat aggressively towards the latter part of their innings.

"Ruturaj to bat deep into the innings. At least one of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway should bat till around the 14th over, and then you just pass on the baton to the other guys to go hell for leather. I think they adopt that strategy, and that's how they do very well," Chopra observed.

With 583 runs at an average of 53.00 in 14 innings, Gaikwad was the second-highest run-getter in IPL 2024. Conway, who missed the last edition of the Indian Premier League due to a fractured left thumb, will likely partner the CSK skipper at the top of the order this season.