After five straight losses, Dhoni-led Chennai makes tactical shifts, dropping Ashwin and Conway; Dhoni backs new-look bowling unit and praises role clarity
Lucknow, April 15: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni has opened up about the decision to drop Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI during the team’s crucial five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2025 clash at Ekana Stadium.
The move raised eyebrows, considering the hefty ₹9.75 crore CSK spent to bring Ashwin back into the squad. However, his performance in the season — just five wickets in six games at an economy of 9.90 — had been underwhelming, especially during powerplays.
“We were putting too much pressure on Ash. He was bowling two overs in the first six. We made changes, and this looks like a better attack. As a bowling unit, we’ve done well. As a batting unit, we can do better. Roles and responsibilities – that’s what we talk about,” Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.
Tactical Shake-Up Sparks Turnaround
After five consecutive defeats, CSK made bold tactical changes. Out went Ashwin and opener Devon Conway, who had been struggling for form. In came Jamie Overton for added batting depth and 20-year-old Shaik Rasheed, who impressed on debut with a fluent 27 off 19 balls.
Rasheed, along with Rachin Ravindra (37 off 22), gave CSK a 52-run opening stand, laying a strong foundation for the chase of 167.
Dhoni Turns Back the Clock
At 111/5, the chase seemed to be slipping out of CSK’s hands — until Dhoni walked in. With Shivam Dube (43* off 37) anchoring one end, Dhoni unleashed a vintage display, hammering 26 off just 11 balls*, including four boundaries and a six, to seal the victory with three balls to spare.
CSK’s five-match losing streak came to an end, and Dhoni was awarded Player of the Match, though he humbly credited his teammates — particularly Noor Ahmad (who bowled a tight 4-over spell for just 13 runs) — for the turnaround.
With a revamped approach and young blood delivering under pressure, CSK’s experiment appears to have paid off, at least for now. As Dhoni rightly put it, clarity in “roles and responsibilities” may just be the missing piece the Super Kings needed.