Watch: “Slow Poison”- Virender Sehwag Trolls CSK
Published - 26 Apr 2025, 04:59 PM | Updated - 26 Apr 2025, 05:01 PM
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The former Indian opening batter, Virender Sehwag, has compared the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) with the slow poison after the franchise’s poor end to the campaign. Chennai is already out of the tournament with the Rajasthan Royals, thanks to seven defeats in nine group-stage encounters.
Both CSK and Sunrisers Hyderabad came into the game against each other at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. With the win, Hyderabad kept themselves in the tournament by a whisker, but none of the franchises looked to win the game.
“Both sides tried their best to lose the game”- Virender Sehwag
The former opening batter reckoned that both Chennai and Hyderabad aimed to lose the game, even though teams generally start to play for the pride in this period.
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“This was slow, like a slow poison. It will only kill the side slowly. How can it bite at once? It isn’t Cobra, after all. It happens like that when the numbers nine and ten face each other.” Sehwag expressed during a Cricbuzz discussion after the end of the fixture.
“Nobody wants to win and only wants to win for the pride. However, it didn’t feel like they were playing for pride only. Both teams tried their best to lose the contest.” The Delhi-born explained.
CSK will have their task cut out for the last few games of the event. They are most likely to use their young players and plan for the new year’s mini auction in December with a few players potentially getting released in he auction.
There will be a question on whether the franchise should retain MS Dhoni for the new season. The veteran would be 44 by the time the upcoming season begins. Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is out of the competition with an elbow injury, will be back in the lead for the franchise.
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CSK struggles to put enough runs on the board vs SRH
Losing the toss, Chennai batted first on a surface which was good for batting in the first inning. But they lost Shaik Rasheed on the first ball of the inning against Mohammed Shami before Ayush Mhatre went back to the pavilion for 30 runs in 19 balls.
Sam Curran, promoted at number three for CSK, made just nine runs with the bat. The only positive for the side in the entire batting line-up was Dewald Brevis, who smacked 42 runs in 25 balls at a strike rate of 168, thanks to one boundary and four sixes.
Deepak Hooda clubbed 22 runs in 21 balls, but rolling on for 154 means CSK was always behind in the contest in the batting department. Losing Brevis for a phenomenal catch was the reason behind them losing momentum at the wrong time.
Also Read: KKR Secretly Adds Ex-SRH Pacer For IPL 2025 Campaign
“We kept losing wickets, and in the first innings, the wicket was slightly better, and 155 is not a justifiable score because it wasn't turning a lot. Yes, after the 8-10th over, it became slightly two-paced when it came to the fast bowlers, but nothing that was out of the ordinary. I feel we could have put a few more runs on the board.” Dhoni expressed at the end of the game.
CSK fails to carry momentum in the bowling department
CSK had little chance of putting Hyderabad under pressure. Pat Cummins’ army kept on losing wickets regularly as the lack of set batters was one of the big reasons for their struggle.
But Kamindu Mendis stayed till the end for his unbeaten 32 runs in 22 balls at a strike rate of 145.45 to carry them home along with Nitish Reddy. Chennai will face the Punjab Kings next on April 30, 2025, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
