Suresh Raina believes CSK’s poor IPL 2025 performance is due to weak auction choices and lack of attacking players.
Chennai Super Kings face a rare slump in IPL 2025, winning just two of their first eight matches. Their playoff hopes now depend on winning almost every remaining fixture. Former CSK star Suresh Raina has criticised the team’s auction strategy, pointing to poor planning during the mega auction. He believes the franchise failed to secure aggressive players needed to keep up with the modern T20 game. Raina also questioned the exclusion of big names like Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer, who have played crucial roles for other teams.
“I feel that somewhere the auction was not done well by the coach, the management. There were so many talented players in the auction, so many young players – like Priyansh Arya, who debuted and scored a century,” Raina said on Star Sports.
“You take so much money for selection, you left out Rishabh Pant, left out Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul. If you look at other teams, they play such attacking games. I have never seen CSK struggle this much,” he added.
Lack of Game-Changers Hurting CSK, Says Harbhajan
Notably, Harbhajan Singh also echoed Suresh Raina’s concerns about the Chennai Super Kings’ poor form in IPL 2025. The veteran spinner believes the squad lacks a player capable of shifting momentum under pressure.
“This team has been very big. But when they went to the auction, as you mentioned, the big names – they did not take Rishabh, did not take KL Rahul. Among the youth selected, we can’t see any who could give game-changing performances,” Harbhajan said.
CSK, five-time champions, now find themselves in unfamiliar territory near the bottom of the table. Their next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 25 at Chepauk will be crucial. A loss could all but end their playoff hopes. The team will need a near-perfect finish to stay alive in the playoff race.
