Is Dhoni to Blame for CSK's Fall in IPL 2025? Suresh Raina Breaks His Silence

Chennai Super Kings are enduring one of their worst seasons in IPL history, sitting at the bottom of the points table with just 4 points from 9 matches. Their recent defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad — their first-ever loss to SRH at Chepauk — has all but ended their playoff hopes. With four home losses and a humiliating all-out collapse at Chepauk for the first time since 2019, fingers are now pointing at MS Dhoni’s leadership.

But former CSK legend Suresh Raina has come forward with a strong defense.

Raina: "Dhoni Is Not Responsible for the Auction Failures"

Speaking on Star Sports, Suresh Raina said the real issue behind CSK’s downfall started at the auction table.
“This season, Chennai failed to buy strong players. They let many key players go, and now they don't have the depth in their squad or playing XI,” Raina said.

When asked about Dhoni’s involvement in player selections, Raina clarified:
“MS does get calls about the players, but he’s not deeply involved. The CEO, Kashi Vishwanathan, handles most of the decisions. Dhoni usually just suggests 4-5 names. The final choices are made by the management.”

Blaming Dhoni for the auction strategy, Raina said, would be unfair. “He never micromanaged the auctions. Dhoni cannot be responsible for the kind of auction CSK had this year," he added.

"What Are the Other Players Doing?" – Raina’s Scathing Attack

Raina didn’t hold back when it came to criticizing the current CSK squad.
“Despite being 43, Dhoni is still keeping wickets, captaining, and carrying the weight of the team on his shoulders. He’s playing for the brand, the fans, the pride. But what about the players who are worth ₹18 crores, ₹17 crores, ₹12 crores?” Raina asked.

He slammed the team's top-billed players for not performing and pointed out how CSK lost matches to teams they traditionally dominated.
“The same mistakes are being repeated, and it's the players who need to step up — not Dhoni," he said.