"Run rate was mounting, and you were...": MS Dhoni destroyed by Aakash Chopra

Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra has lashed out at the Chennai Super Kings for their poor batting effort in the game against Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. He wasn't happy with MS Dhoni's intent, saying that he didn't know what the keeper-batter was doing.

Chennai Super Kings had a terrible outing in the game against Delhi Capitals. The Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side bagged a 25-run loss at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. This also marked their third loss in the ongoing IPL as they came up with the bizarre effort with the bat.

After restricting Delhi Capitals to a total of 183 runs, it was expected that it would be an easy chase for Chennai Super Kings, especially with them playing at their home. But, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side came up with the worst possible effort with the bat.

MS Dhoni played an innings of unbeaten 30 runs off 26 balls

The top order failed badly and the onus was on MS Dhoni to take his team home. But the keeper-batter looked off colours. Vijay Shankar, who slammed a fifty, also looked slow as the Chennai Super Kings lacked intent in their innings, and it didn't even once look like they were up for the fight.

MS Dhoni played an innings of unbeaten 30 runs off 26 balls, batting with a strike rate of just 115. While on the other hand, Vijay Shankar stayed unbeaten at 69 off 54 balls, having a strike rate of 127. The numbers surely reflect the kind of outing they had and why the franchise lost the game.

The required run rate was mounting, and you were defending and taking singles - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra was baffled with the way Chennai Super Kings batted against Delhi Capitals, saying that he has not seen a more insipid performance than this. He took a dig at MS Dhoni, saying that the run rate was mounting and he was taking the singles. Speaking in a video posted on his YouTube channel, he said:

"Chennai, what did you do? When the run chase started, wickets were falling as though it was a joke. I have not seen a more insipid performance than this from you. You probably thought after the 10th over that you didn't want to chase. Did you even try to chase? The required run rate was mounting, and you were defending and taking singles."

If he also plays like that, where was the intent? - Aakash Chopra on MS Dhoni

Aakash Chopra said that everyone in the Chennai Super Kings should be guilty of how they played. He pointed out how MS Dhoni batted, saying the keeper-batter is the greatest finisher of all time and what he did was not understandable. He explained:

"Everybody is guilty as charged, whether how Vijay Shankar played at the start or how MS Dhoni started. The haters might come here and ask what the earlier batters did. The earlier batters' names are not Dhoni. Dhoni is the greatest finisher of all time. If he also plays like that, where was the intent? I didn't understand it,."

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