Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said that the potential lack of batting firepower could be one of the challenges for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2025 as well. He also added that MS Dhoni, one of their big-hitting finishers, generally doesn’t come to bat early in their innings as well. Notably, Dhoni smashed 161 runs at a strike rate of 220.54 in 11 innings in IPL 2024 as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “I am not able to find too many of them. When we look at the Chennai squad, too many challenges are not seen. They probably lack a little firepower because you have a legit finisher in the form of Shivam Dube, and you have one in the form of Dhoni, but Dhoni doesn’t come to bat before the 17th over. The power you talk about in T20 games hasn’t been seen in Ravindra Jadeja. You might see Rahul Tripathi playing, and then Devon Conway at the top, they are more like grafters. They are collectors but maybe not powerful strikers. I had to do some nitpicking to find challenges.”

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While talking about the Chennai Super Kings’ potential strategies in IPL 2025, Aakash Chopra also stated that they might start the season on flat pitches at home as well.

“What will be their strategy? They will start playing on slow pitches if they wish to play three spinners, or else I feel they would play on good pitches and they could try a slightly different composition where they might not even need to play Noor. So initially on flattish pitches and then as the pitches get worn out, you may actually look at three spinners. Ruturaj to bat deep into the innings. At least one of Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway should bat till around the 14th over, and then you just pass on the baton to the other guys to go hell for leather. I think they adopt that strategy, and that’s how they do very well,” Aakash Chopra concluded.