Stephen Fleming explodes on CSK resources after IPL 2025 exit

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) head coach Stephen Fleming has opened up about the team’s disappointing IPL 2025 campaign, adding that their auction strategy was wrong. Fleming stated that the franchise miscalculated and failed to build the right combination during the IPL 2025 mega auction last year.

The Super Kings lost to SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) by five wickets in Match 43 at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Friday, April 25. After nine matches, CSK are at the bottom of the points table with just four points. The MS Dhoni-led team has no hope of making the playoffs during the tournament.

We Just Haven't Been Able to Get It Right - Stephen Fleming

Stephen Fleming has admitted to the Chennai Super Kings’ poor showing in IPL 2025. The head coach said that the IPL is always challenging, even for a team with a strong track record. Fleming also stated that other teams have strengthened through the auction, but CSK didn’t manage to get their selections right.

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"It is hard to say we got it completely right with the performances that we have had," Fleming said.

"And it is not easy. And that is why we are proud of our record today. We have been able to be consistent for so long and it doesn't take much for it to go another way. Other teams have got better and that is the point of the auction. But we just haven't been able to get it right," he added.

It Hasn't Worked Out How We Wanted - Stephen Fleming

Stephen Fleming took responsibility for the Super Kings’ underwhelming performance this season. The head coach admitted that the team must assess what went wrong. He added that their plans didn’t work the way they had hoped.

"So you take responsibility from the top down and then you just ask a little more of the players," Fleming said. "But yeah, that has to be an area where we need to reflect and say it wasn't as good as what it could have been, or it hasn't worked out how we wanted."

It Is Also Not Perfect Science - Stephen Fleming

The former New Zealand skipper said that the auction process is far from a perfect science. Fleming added that they have a good squad and are not too far from turning things around.

"It is also not perfect science," Fleming said. "The auction is a very fluid beast. It's like buying [for] 25 hours and seeing it come away at the end of it, mentally and sometimes physically exhausted. And to be fair, I still think we have got a good squad. We are not far away.

SunRisers Hyderabad dismissed the Super Kings for 154 on their home ground. Ayush Mhatre (30 off 17) and Dewald Brevis (42 off 25) managed to make crucial contributions, with the rest of the CSK lineup failing to surpass 25 runs.

In response, Ishan Kishan scored 44 runs off 34 balls, while Kamindu Mendis finished the match with 32 runs off 22 balls. SRH successfully chased down the target in the 19th over.

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