Rahul Tripathi’s return to the Chennai Super Kings lineup didn’t go as planned, as the experienced batter endured a forgettable outing in the high-stakes clash against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Thrust into the playing XI in place of the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tripathi had a golden opportunity to resurrect his IPL 2025 campaign—but unfortunately, he squandered it with a lacklustre performance that only added to CSK’s growing concerns in the batting department.
Walking in at No. 3, Tripathi struggled to get into any rhythm. His timing was off, his footwork seemed hesitant, and he looked completely out of sync against the spin-heavy KKR attack. The trio of Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy, and Moeen Ali kept things tight, not allowing Tripathi any breathing space.
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While CSK needed a calm head to steer them through after losing two early wickets, Tripathi’s innings only increased the pressure. The writing was on the wall, and it was just a matter of time before his scratchy knock came to an end. In the 11th over, Sunil Narine delivered the final blow. Bowling a classic off-break, Narine deceived Tripathi in flight and turn.
— crictalk (@crictalk7) April 11, 2025
The CSK batter, attempting to play an expansive drive against the spin, left a gap between bat and pad. The ball zipped through and crashed into the off-stump, sending Tripathi back for a forgettable score.
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It was another disappointing chapter in what’s becoming a turbulent season for both Tripathi and Chennai. With Ruturaj injured and the top order underperforming, CSK needed their senior players to step up—but Tripathi’s failure only deepened the hole. Unless he can find form quickly, CSK might be forced to rethink their top-order strategy in the coming fixtures.
