April 12, 2025: Former Australia captain Michael Clarke has weighed in on Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) dismal form in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, calling out the team’s conservative gameplay and suggesting it may be contributing to their extended losing streak. Speaking on Jio Hotstar after CSK’s fifth consecutive defeat, Clarke pointed out that the five-time champions are struggling with a crisis of confidence and need to shift their mindset drastically to stop the slide.
“Wicket looked quite tough to bat on. There was a little bit of movement with the new ball and certainly some spin. I think the Chennai Super Kings got their plan wrong,” Clarke said. “They’re down on confidence, and their intent—well, there was no intent. At the moment, it seems like a very conservative approach—just trying to get close to winning or avoid a big defeat.”
CSK hit a new low this season after being handed a resounding 8-wicket loss at home by defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). It marked their first-ever sequence of three straight defeats at their Chepauk fortress and five consecutive losses in a single IPL season.
Clarke believes the only way to turn things around is for CSK to abandon the safety-first strategy and go all in. “They should throw it all on the line, risk everything, and try to win the game,” he said. “Just like a good, confident feeling can become infectious in a winning dressing room, the same applies when you’re losing. That losing feeling lingers, and it’s hard to get rid of sometimes.”
Following the injury of Ruturaj Gaikwad, MS Dhoni returned to lead the side, raising hopes among the fanbase. However, the team’s performance failed to match the optimism, especially with a lacklustre batting display that saw them crawl to just 103/9 in their latest game—easily chased down by KKR in just 10.1 overs.
Former Indian spinner Piyush Chawla echoed Clarke’s sentiments and advocated for giving opportunities to younger players. “Someone like Andre Siddarth deserves a chance,” he said. “You’ve already seen enough of Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda. Maybe a new face could come in, get quick runs, and lift the team’s morale.”
As CSK finds itself languishing near the bottom of the points table, Clarke’s call to “risk everything” may resonate strongly with fans hoping for a late-season revival. Their next challenge comes against Lucknow Super Giants on April 14, a match that could determine whether this side still has a fight left in them.