"We waited and waited until we thought it was necessary" - Ruturaj Gaikwad explains decision to retire out Devon Conway in PBKS vs CSK IPL 2025 match

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has explained the rationale behind retiring out a well-set Devon Conway in the IPL 2025 clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur on April 8. Playing only his second game of the season, the Kiwi opener scored a valuable 49-ball 69 with six boundaries and two maximums.

However, with the target being a massive 220, Conway's inability to strike big hits at will left CSK with almost 50 to win off the final two overs. Finally, the southpaw retired out with the score reading 171 for 4 in 17.5 overs to bring Ravindra Jadeja to the crease.

Unfortunately, the move came too little too late for CSK's cause as they suffered an 18-run defeat.

Talking about the move to retire Conway out at the post-game presentation, Gaikwad said (Via Hindustan Times):

"Well, you know, he's more of a timer of the ball, very useful up the order, but definitely, when you have Jaddu (Jadeja), his role is completely different, and he's known for that role particularly. So you expect that change to happen at some point when you know the batsman is struggling. Initially, he was still striking the ball. We waited and waited until we thought it was necessary, and then we thought, yes, why not change it?"

With a fourth successive defeat, CSK fell to 1-4 on the season after five games, finding themselves second to bottom on the points table.

"It's just making that difference" - Ruturaj Gaikwad

Ruturaj Gaikwad admitted fielding being the biggest letdown for CSK thus far this season. The Men in Yellow missed several opportunities in the PBKS clash, resulting in young opener Priyansh Arya smashing a 42-ball 103.

"We are dropping a catch; the same batsman is just adding 15, 20, 25, sometimes 30 runs extra as well. It's just making that difference. If you just leave out the RCB game, I think the last three changes it was just a matter of one or maybe two or three hits. Yes, you can have a bad day, but you know, in fielding, there is something which we are really trying to work it on, but right now, it's not happening," said Gaikwad (via the aforementioned source).

With the season slowly but surely slipping away, CSK are in desperate need of a win in their next encounter at home against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday, April 11. CSK have never lost five consecutive matches in a single IPL season.