‘Auction missteps behind CSK’s struggles’: Ajay Jadeja dissects MS Dhoni-led side’s IPL 2025 campaign | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Ajay Jadeja has attributed Chennai Super Kings‘ dismal IPL 2025 campaign to their failure at last year’s auction, calling it the starting point of their sharp decline.
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Speaking during a JioStar Expert interaction, Jadeja, a self-proclaimed fan of both CSK and Mumbai Indians, reflected on the franchise’s emotional high in 2024 after their 2023 title win.
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“The last one was probably more emotional. Sometimes when you win, you stick to the same players, hoping it’ll happen again. But there was a curve that was heading down,” Jadeja remarked.
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Pointing directly at the auction strategy, Jadeja said, “I think that the auction was where you could see that they did not have the firepower most other teams acquired. That was probably the key to start with. Naturally, when things don’t go well, you lose.”
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CSK, known for backing their players through rough patches, have appeared uncharacteristically unsettled this season with frequent changes to their playing XI – a departure from their tried-and-tested formula. Jadeja highlighted this shift, referencing the franchise’s past faith in players like Shane Watson.
“Chennai would stick. Watson struggled all the way to the final, but he still played all the games. This year, Conway came for three games, Rachin is now out. So that is something new. Maybe because of the uncertainty at the auction, this is what we are seeing,” he explained.
With CSK languishing at the bottom of the points table, Jadeja’s words strike at the heart of their struggles.
