“Not so convinced about the middle order” - Former batter slams CSK after 50-run loss to RCB in IPL 2025

Former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Ambati Rayudu has expressed reservations about the five-time champions' batting line-up after their 50-run loss to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Friday, March 28. Rayudu raised concern about the Super Kings' batting order and their inability to play spin well.

With a stiff 197 to chase down against the Royal Challengers, Josh Hazlewood landed early blows on the home side, making their task even more difficult in the middle overs. Although Krunal Pandya went for runs, the Super Kings were hardly able to get Liam Livingstone and Suyash Sharma away. Livingstone dismissed Sam Curran and Ravichandran Ashwin to finish with a haul of 4-0-28-2.

Speaking on the broadcast after the game, the 39-year-old said Gaikwad must open the innings, while Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni should not bat as low as they did against the Royal Challengers.

Rayudu said (via India Today):

"I am not so convinced about the middle order that CSK possesses right now. To play good quality bowling, you need your best batsmen to bat at those numbers. Ruturaj has to open and also you need to get Ravindra Jadeja slightly up. And also, you cannot have MS Dhoni so low in the order. CSK have their task cut out, they are not playing well against spin also, and it does not look great."

Dhoni slotting in at number nine sparked plenty of debates, given he stayed unbeaten on 30 off 16 deliveries, including three fours and two sixes. Ashwin batted higher than the 43-year-old, raising eyebrows on the management's decision.

"It got a little slower, it got a little sticky" - CSK captain on Chepauk's surface

Ruturaj Gaikwad. (Image Credits: Getty)

At the post-match presentation, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad acknowledged that their plans across facets didn't come off as expected. However, he felt the Super Kings managed to limit the margin of defeat significantly, saying (via NDTV):

"I still feel 170 was a par score on this wicket. It wasn't that easy to bat. Bad fielding cost us. When you're chasing 170, you have a little more time, but when you're chasing 20 runs extra you have to bat differently in the powerplay and it didn't happen today. It got a little slower, it got a little sticky. The new ball was sticking a bit. Don't know how it happened. Rahul backed his shot, I backed mine as well, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. But as I said when you have a par score in mind and you are chasing 20 extra you always want to stay ahead. So that was just the thinking. But at the end we didn't lose by a big margin, it was just 50 runs."

The Yellow Army will next face the Rajasthan Royals on Sunday, March 30, in Guwahati.