Former India cricketer & CSK player Suresh Raina has raised concerns about the Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) management and their auction strategy, talking about the team’s poor performance in IPL 2025 to the lack of MS Dhoni’s involvement. According to Raina, the common perception is that Dhoni makes all the key decisions at CSK is misleading. While Dhoni remains a committed leader, he has not been involved in behind-the-scenes decisions, particularly regarding auctions.
Struggles and Mismanagement at CSK
CSK’s current season has been filled with challenges, and their hopes for the playoffs are almost finished after their 7th defeat of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad last night. Despite experimenting with different combinations, including debuting Dewald Brevis and promoting young Ayush Mhatre to opener, the team’s efforts have not yielded positive results.
Raina pointed out that the team administration which is overseen by Kashi Viswanathan and Rupa Gurunath, was responsible for player selection, indicating that the team build-up was not under Dhoni’s direct control. “Kashi sir – I think he has been handling the administration for almost 30 to 40 years now. And Rupa Ma’am is managing all the cricket administration – buying the players, maintaining the core group. But everyone knows that the players bought this time weren’t selected properly,” Raina said on Star Sports.
The myth of MS Dhoni’s control
Raina clarified that while Dhoni may be consulted about certain decisions, he does not manage the auction process. “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.” He added that the core group handles the auction, and Dhoni might only recommend a few players to retain.
Dhoni’s Commitment vs Team’s Inconsistency
Raina also questioned the contributions of highly paid players who are not delivering results. “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?” he questioned.
Raina asks for the need for players to prove themselves as match-winners and to rectify their approach. “You have to identify – is this player a match-winner? Can I trust this player in the next match?”
Looking ahead
With just five games left in the group stage, CSK’s path to the playoffs is now hangs around uncertainty. Raina speculated that Dhoni might be contemplating changes, as he reflected on his observations following the team’s recent loss. “I think MS Dhoni will now sit down – he won’t want anyone around him. He must have made up his mind.” He hinted that discussions within the team might be coming soon.
