Dhoni: 'Crucial to find the right team balance for next season'

While MS Dhoni hasn't given up on Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) playoff hopes in IPL 2025, he's already looking at a possible Plan B: using the remaining matches to identify the core group for next season. CSK's crushing nine-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede has left them rooted to the bottom of the table, with just four points from eight games—six points adrift of the top-four.

“With all the games ahead, we’ll take it one at a time,” Dhoni said during the post-match broadcast. “If things don’t go our way, what becomes important is finding the right combination for next year. We don’t want to make too many changes to the squad. The goal is to qualify, but if not, we want a settled XI to build around for next season.”

Head coach Stephen Fleming echoed Dhoni’s sentiments in the press conference, acknowledging the tough road ahead while emphasizing the long-term outlook.

“It’s difficult when you’re playing well below expectations, but we have to stay committed,” Fleming said. “No effort will be wasted. Even if we don’t make the playoffs, we’ll use this phase to lay foundations for the next season. We’ve done this before—some of our strongest campaigns have come after building late in disappointing seasons.”

He added, “We’re realistic about where we are, but we’ll explore every option—player roles, team combinations—and turn it into a learning opportunity, even if it’s not an ideal one.”

On CSK’s struggles this season, Dhoni pointed to a lack of runs from the batting unit as a key issue.

“For us to succeed, we need to play good cricket. If we’re falling short, it’s important to stay practical rather than emotional,” Dhoni said. “We’ve been in similar positions before—like 2020—and it’s about assessing whether we’re applying ourselves properly and giving our bowlers something to defend.”

He also highlighted fielding as an area that needs attention: “A few more catches held could help. But otherwise, it’s about identifying the gaps and plugging the holes.”

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