Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has questioned the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batters’ approach in their IPL 2025 defeat to the Delhi Capitals (DC) as well. He was particularly disappointed with MS Dhoni’s approach as DC set CSK a 184-run target. Dhoni scored an unbeaten 30 off 26 balls in the chase as CSK managed only 158/5, losing the game by 25 runs as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Chennai, what did you do? When the run chase started, wickets were falling as though it was a joke. I have not seen a more insipid performance than this from you. You probably thought after the 10th over that you didn’t want to chase. Did you even try to chase? The required run rate was mounting, and you were defending and taking singles.”

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“Everybody is guilty as charged, whether how Vijay Shankar played at the start or how MS Dhoni started. The haters might come here and ask what the earlier batters did. The earlier batters’ names are not Dhoni. Dhoni is the greatest finisher of all time. If he also plays like that, where was the intent? I didn’t understand it,” he further added.

Reflecting on the Delhi Capitals’ innings, Aakash Chopra applauded KL Rahul (77 off 51) for scoring a match-winning fifty as an opener,
wondering whether DC would persist with HIM at the top of the order.

“Delhi, well done. You made KL Rahul open. Will you continue to make him open or send him down the order? He has played a ‘Man of the Match’ knock, but will you make him open again? He scored 77 runs and played the entire innings. He took down the spinners, but you (CSK) need to back Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) and (Ravichandran) Ashwin. Rahul was beautiful. Axar came to bat up the order and made a contribution. Tristan Stubbs played a few good shots in the end, and you reached a fighting total,” Aakash Chopra concluded.