"If Jaddu is coming at No. 6, your batting has become extremely weak" - Aakash Chopra on CSK's problems ahead of IPL 2025 clash vs PBKS

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has highlighted the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) batting weaknesses heading into their IPL 2025 clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS). He opined that Ravindra Jadeja was batting a spot or two too high, especially considering the misfiring top order.

CSK will lock horns with PBKS in Match 22 of IPL 2025 in Mullanpur in the evening game on Tuesday, April 8. The visitors have lost their last three games and are placed ninth on the points table.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener opined that CSK had a plethora of batting issues, pointing out that Jadeja, who hasn't been a prolific run-scorer lately, was batting as high as No. 6.

"It seems like they have so many shortcomings. How will you survive? You might have fixed the top three, but the batting after that is in a very bad state. Vijay Shankar scored runs for sure, but they weren't match-winning runs. Shivam Dube hasn't scored runs thus far," Chopra said (16:45).

"If you see Jadeja at No. 6, that's at least one or two numbers too high for Jaddu. If we are brutally honest, Jadeja's significant T20 knocks, I am not talking about cameos, have become far and few between. If Jaddu is coming at No. 6, your batting has become extremely weak, especially if your top order is collapsing and you are not scoring runs in the powerplay," he added.

Ravindra Jadeja has aggregated 76 runs at a strike rate of 122.58 in four innings in IPL 2025. Ruturaj Gaikwad (121) and Rachin Ravindra (109) are the only CSK batters to aggregate more than 100 runs this season.

---

"The fact is that he is not batting well" - Aakash Chopra on MS Dhoni ahead of CSK's IPL 2025 clash vs PBKS

MS Dhoni scored an unbeaten 30 off 26 deliveries in CSK's previous game against DC. [P/C: iplt20.com]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that MS Dhoni, irrespective of the position he bats, hasn't been at the top of his game.

"Whether Dhoni comes at No. 7 or someone else comes at No. 7, the fact is that he is not batting well. There was a massive question in the last match that you weren't even wholeheartedly trying to win. You accept defeat very quickly, whether it was the Guwahati match or the last match. It seems you run out of steam very quickly. You throw in the towel and say you won't be able to do it," he said.

The cricketer-turned-commentator wasn't sure whether playing an additional batter at the underperforming Ravichandran Ashwin's expense would help CSK's cause.

"Unfortunately, I don't see things improving from here. It was said somewhere whether Ashwin should be played as he hasn't been that effective and Shaik Rasheed should be given a chance as they have kept him in the team for a long time. I don't know the answer," Chopra observed.

To conclude, Aakash Chopra noted that he sees the Chennai Super Kings in a slightly disappointing situation. The analyst added that he would say CSK are the 'granddad of Comeback Super Kings' if they turn things around.