Chennai Super Kings are halfway through a dismal Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season where they find themselves at the bottom of the table with two victories in nine encounters so far. Though hopes of a playoff push exist only mathematically, the performances have set off a debate over whether the franchise is facing a potential radical overhaul before the next season. There are also doubts regarding the future of MS Dhoni, but if CSK’s ‘Chinna Thala’ Suresh Raina is to be believed, Dhoni will remain for at least another season.
Suresh Raina Critiques CSK’s Overall Performance
Looking at CSK’s campaign, Suresh Raina pointed out how abysmal the team has been in nearly every department, whether it was fielding, batting, or bowling. For Raina, the platform for the upcoming season would be set on the auction table for the franchise.
“I hope that next season, they (CSK) come with better planning. And Dhoni is going to play for one more season, for sure,” Suresh Raina said in a chat with sports presenter Jatin Sapru in a video on his YouTube channel.
Dhoni’s Limited Role in Auction Decisions
Reviewing CSK’s mega auction, Raina stated that MS Dhoni apparently didn’t have any say in the purchases the management chose before the 18th edition.
“They always say MS Dhoni makes the final call. But to be very honest, I never attended any of the auctions. I was never a part of those discussions. I always talked about the players who were retained. MS might get a call about whether to go ahead with a player or not – but he’s not that involved,” he said.
“The core group handles the auction – you can imagine, Dhoni can’t have this type of auction. He would maybe name four or five players he wants, and out of them, a few would be retained. Even if an uncapped player is working hard, look at MS Dhoni–being a 43-year-old captain, still giving everything.”
Raina Defends Dhoni but Questions Other Players
Dhoni himself has not come up with many match-winning innings for CSK this season, but Raina is not looking for that from a 43-year-old. The ex-India and CSK batsman is content watching Dhoni keep wickets, lead the team, and attempt his bit with the bat but also looks for the remaining 10 players to contribute as well.
“He’s playing just for the brand, for his name, for the fandom – and still putting in the effort. At 43, he’s doing wicketkeeping, captaining, carrying the entire team on his shoulders. But what are the other ten players doing?
“Those who are paid 18 crores, 17 crores, 12 crores – they’re not responding to the captain. Especially when you’ve never lost to certain teams before – that needs to be rectified. You have to identify – is this player a match-winner? Can I trust this player in the next match? There are players who’ve been playing there for years – even the older ones. But what are the results? You’re losing. The same mistakes are happening every time.
“I think MS Dhoni will now sit down – he won’t want anyone around him. He knows CSK didn’t buy properly in auction. MS wouldn’t have allowed it. He must have made up his mind. “After the toss, when they lost, the way he walked – and both of them were standing there – it’s clear there’s going to be a meeting today,” he added.
