The return of MS Dhoni as captain did not go as planned for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), as they suffered a crushing defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 11, 2025. This was not just any loss, but one with the highest number of balls remaining in IPL history! After Ruturaj Gaikwad’s season-ending injury, Dhoni took over as the captain again, which sparked excitement among CSK fans. But sadly, it seemed the team missed their best batsman more than they gained from Dhoni’s return.
Ajinkya Rahane on KKR’s Victorious Performance
“We had our plans. I’ve played here for the last two years, and Moeen has as well. DJ knows the conditions too. The wicket was a bit sticky, and the ball stopped on you a little. Credit to the spinners, our plans worked really well today. There’s a long way to go in the tournament, so I won’t share too much of those plans. (On Moeen’s inclusion) It turned out to be spot-on. (On the pitch) I thought the surface would play together, it looked like a 170-type wicket. But can’t take credit away from the bowlers. Moeen played really well—it’s never easy to come back after missing one game. Same for Sunny and Varun. Sunny was expensive last game but bounced back strong. So did Vaibhav and Harshit. Overall, a solid bowling performance,” said Rahane during the post-match presentation.
Rahane also reflected on his own batting performance, where he shared his joy about being in good form after working hard for the past few years.
“I’m enjoying my batting, really worked hard the last 2-3 years and it’s paying off. I just want to stay in the moment and keep it simple. (Was NRR on the mind?) Initially, no, but after 6 overs we thought if we could finish early, it would benefit us. (On the road ahead) Sometimes you play good cricket and still lose—last game was tough, losing by just 4 runs. There are a lot of learnings for us, but now we need to win. We don’t want a season with alternating wins and losses. Staying positive is key,” he added.
CSK’s Lowest Home Score in IPL History
The batting collapse continued for CSK, as they posted their lowest ever score at Chepauk in IPL history—only 103 runs in 20 overs for the loss of 9 wickets. KKR’s bowlers were on point from the very first over, giving the CSK batsmen absolutely no room. Sunil Narine starred with the ball, taking 3 wickets for just 13 runs in his 4 overs. Moeen Ali, a former CSK player, removed Devon Conway early, and CSK’s batsmen quickly found themselves at 71 for 6 in the 15th over. After the 8th over, CSK went 63 balls without hitting a boundary and failed to hit even a single six in the powerplay. At one point, it looked like they might be bowled out for just 79—until Shivam Dube’s 31 saved them from a further disaster.
KKR Easily Complete the Chase
While CSK struggled, KKR had no such issues in their chase. Quinton de Kock and Sunil Narine set the tone with a 46-run opening partnership in just the first 4 overs. Anshul Kamboj got de Kock out for 23 runs in the 5th over, but KKR was already well on their way. Narine continued to dominate, smashing 44 runs off just 18 balls before Noor Ahmad removed him in the 8th over. By then, KKR had already put 85 runs on the board. The rest was a formality, with Rahane and Rinku Singh guiding KKR to a comfortable victory with 59 balls still to spare.
