Wasim Jaffer believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) look "rattled" in IPL 2025, adding that their batting order doesn't even "look like they're trying" once Shivam Dube gets out. Mark Boucher, meanwhile, feels things are not "happening the way it used to before" for the side. In the 184-run chase against Delhi Capitals (DC) at Chepauk, CSK's batters once again misfired as they suffered their third consecutive loss of the season.
"They're losing too many wickets upfront," Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show. "Whether it's form or poor shot selection, whether it's selection alone, and maybe throwing around too many players and those players might be feeling like, 'I don't know if I'm in or out', and that could be something we're not used to when looking at a Chennai team. Usually, they're stable, a good decision-making team and franchise. The team is like they're a bit rattled at the moment."
With captain Ruturaj Gaikwad dropping himself to No. 3, CSK opened with Rachin Ravindra and Rahul Tripathi in the first three games. But with Tripathi making a total of just 30 runs, he was replaced by Devon Conway. The move did not pay off against DC, with the top-three batters falling inside the powerplay, which brought in Shivam Dube while they needed 143 runs at an asking rate close to ten runs an over. But after Dube fell for 18 in the tenth over, CSK found it hard to get going.
"If their top order doesn't fire and Dube gets out, it looks like they shut shop very quickly," Jaffer said. "They feel really, really behind the game and it doesn't even look like they're trying. That approach has been the most surprising to me; it's twice in two games, where they shut shop too early. That's a major concern for CSK."
Dube's dismissal was followed by an 84-run stand between MS Dhoni and Vijay Shankar, but they didn't look like they would get close to chasing down the target. They were risk-averse, scoring just three fours and a six between overs ten and 18.
This was CSK's second faltered chase at home. They suffered a 50-run loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), where they were reduced to 26 for 3 in the fifth over after conceding 196 for 7. They also failed to chase 183 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Guwahati, falling six runs short after batting out 20 overs.
They have also used 17 players this season - more than they did in the entirety of the 2015 (14) and 2021 (16) IPL editions.
"Their top order is really struggling," Boucher said. "And we talk about your lower order which has been historically very strong and finishing off games, the [Ravindra] Jadejas, the Dhonis - the Dhoni little cameos that they usually have - they're walking in just after ten overs. So, there's a lot left to do from just a batsmanship perspective, and that's where they're getting it wrong."
"The players that they had picked in the auction before - they picked Ajinkya Rahane, Robin Uthappa, [Ambati] Rayudu who are way past their prime - and they came and performed," Jaffer said. "But that is not happening with this CSK: they picked Tripathi, they picked Deepak Hooda, and even Vijay Shankar. But things are not happening the way it used to."