MS Dhoni’s finishing ability questioned as Virender Sehwag exposes CSK’s 5-year failure in big chases

Former Indian batter and commentator Virender Sehwag has fired shots at Chennai Super Kings and MS Dhoni and questioned their ability to chase big totals after the Yellow Army’s narrow defeat against Rajasthan Royals in their IPL 2025 game on Sunday (March 30) in Guwahati.

Despite skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s fighting knock of 63 from 44 balls, Chennai Super Kings once again fell short while chasing 183, as Rajasthan Royals won the IPL 2025 clash by six runs in Guwahati. It was CSK’s second consecutive defeat in the ongoing season.

Virender Sehwag blasts CSK's chasing woes; questions Dhoni's finishing touch

Even with MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, the pressure proved too much. The duo reignited hope by smashing 19 runs off the penultimate over, but Sandeep Sharma's flawless final over sealed a thrilling six-run victory for the Rajasthan Royals.

Read Also: Ambati Rayudu abandons CSK loyalty, attacks MS Dhoni-starrer team after loss to RR

After their another loss in the ongoing IPL 2025, Sehwag has pointed out that CSK’s struggles to chase scores above 180 have been a long-standing issue. The former Indian opener also questioned whether Dhoni still has the finishing touch that once made him a legend.

He also pointed out that it's rare for teams to score 20 runs per over at the end of a match. Although Dhoni has done it a few times in the IPL, that was in the past, as Sehwag noted there is no fresh memory of the legendary wicketkeeper finishing the game for CSK in the recent seasons.

Virender Sehwag says MS Dhoni's finishing touch vanishing

Virender Sehwag was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz, “Scoring 40 runs in 2 overs is a difficult task. No matter how big of a player is in the middle, it is a difficult job. You win on one or two occasions; that is about it.

I remember Dhoni pulled off a heist when he hit 24 or 25 runs off the bowling of Axar Patel, and on one instance, he smashed Irfan Pathan for 19 or 20 runs in Dharamsala. You can just remember one or two matches on top of your mind. No recent matches come to your memory. For five years, CSK has been unable to chase totals of more than 180.”

Read Also: MS Dhoni mentioned as ex-India star claims Ruturaj Gaikwad is "under too much pressure"

MS Dhoni’s batting position under fire in the IPL 2025

Meanwhile, MS Dhoni’s batting position has been a hot topic since the start of the ongoing IPL 2025, and his performance against Rajasthan Royals didn’t do much to silence critics. Walking out to bat at No. 7, Dhoni managed 16 runs off 11 balls, including a boundary and a six.

In the previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Dhoni came in at No. 9, sparking widespread criticism among the fans and former cricketers.

This time, CSK made some adjustments, but it wasn’t enough to avoid a loss. With back-to-back defeats, the Chennai franchise has now slipped to the seventh spot in the IPL 2025 points table. They will next face Delhi Capitals at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on April 5.