1 week Ago By Zee News
CSK suffered their fourth consecutive IPL 2025 defeat as poor fielding and a blazing century by Priyansh Arya powered Punjab Kings to an 18-run win. The pressure is mounting in the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) camp after their fourth consecutive loss in the IPL 2025, this time at the hands of Punjab Kings (PBKS). With dropped catches, missed opportunities, and strategic missteps dominating the post-match conversations, CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t mince words as he opened up about what’s going wrong for the former champions.
Priyansh Arya's Blazing Century Turns the Tide The star of the evening was undoubtedly Priyansh Arya, whose jaw-dropping 103 off just 42 balls shifted the momentum dramatically in PBKS’s favor. Walking in with his team reeling at 83/5, Priyansh unleashed a brutal counterattack, launching sixes at will and dismantling the CSK bowling attack. His century, laced with clean hitting and fearless strokeplay, was the turning point of the match.
Alongside Shashank Singh (52 off 36)* and *Marco Jansen (34 off 19)**, Arya helped PBKS recover with partnerships of 71 and 65 runs, propelling them to a formidable 219/6 in their 20 overs. CSK's Fielding Lapses Under the Spotlight Post-match, Ruturaj Gaikwad candidly admitted that poor fielding has been the "point of difference" in CSK’s recent defeats. “The catches we’ve been dropping are proving costly,” said the skipper.
“The same batsmen we’re giving chances to are going on to score 15, 20, even 30 extra runs.” This marks a concerning trend for the five-time champions, who have traditionally prided themselves on sharp, disciplined cricket. In IPL 2025, however, their fielding has been far from championship material.
Gaikwad stressed the need to “have fun” in the field and play with confidence, stating that nervousness is leading to unforced errors. Chennai's Batting Effort Falls Just Short In the chase of 220, CSK started well, with a 61-run opening stand between Rachin Ravindra (36 off 23) and Devon Conway. Conway, after a cautious start, found rhythm and scored a composed 69 off 49 balls, anchoring the innings alongside Shivam Dube (42 off 27).
The partnership between Conway and Dube, worth 90 runs, kept CSK in the hunt until the 17th over. But with the required run rate mounting and wickets falling at the wrong time, the chase unraveled. A valiant cameo from MS Dhoni (27 off 12) brought hope, but CSK eventually fell short by 18 runs, finishing at 201/5.
Bowling Bright Spots Amid a Tough Outing Despite the result, CSK had some individual positives to draw from their bowling. Khaleel Ahmed (2/45) and Ravichandran Ashwin (2/48) picked up crucial wickets, while Mukesh Choudhary and Matheesha Pathirana chipped in with one apiece. However, the team failed to contain the onslaught from Priyansh and co.
, especially in the death overs. On the other side, Lockie Ferguson (2/40) stood out for PBKS with the ball, complemented by tight spells from Yash Thakur and Glenn Maxwell. The collective effort ensured CSK never quite got ahead in the run chase.
Ruturaj’s Tactical Calls Raise Eyebrows A noteworthy talking point was the retiring out of Devon Conway, a rare but increasingly tactical move in T20 cricket. Gaikwad explained the decision as a necessary shift to inject pace into the innings. “Conway is more of a timer, and we waited for him to get going, but felt it was time to make a change,” he said.
The move, however, drew mixed reactions from fans and analysts alike. Stay informed on all the latest news , real-time breaking news updates, and follow all the important headlines in india news and world News on Zee News..
