Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are struggling to find their rhythm in the Tata IPL 2025, sitting at the 9th spot on the points table with just one win from five matches. Their latest defeat came at the hands of Punjab Kings (PBKS), with head coach Stephen Fleming openly criticizing the team’s poor fielding display that let a potential win slip through their fingers.

In what turned out to be CSK’s fourth consecutive loss, it was their sloppiness on the field that made headlines. While the batting department showed some promise, the fielding efforts were far from IPL champion standards. Dropped catches and missed opportunities allowed PBKS batters, especially Priyansh Arya, to wreak havoc and turn the game on its head. Arya made the most of his chances, hammering a blistering 100 off just 39 balls, punishing CSK’s lapses mercilessly.

“We really lost the game in the field,” Fleming admitted in the post-match press conference. “We were sloppy and inaccurate under pressure. The innings from Arya was excellent, but we gave him two lifelines. We have to be better in such crucial moments. That’s where the match drifted away from us.”

Fleming’s frustration wasn’t misplaced. Khaleel Ahmed dropped a simple caught-and-bowled chance in the opening over when Arya was on just six. Then, Mukesh Choudhary dropped another catch at long-off when Arya was batting aggressively at 73. The worst, however, came in the 17th over when Ravindra Jadeja dropped Shashank Singh at deep midwicket off Noor Ahmad—a moment that essentially sealed CSK’s fate.

Fleming continued, “We fell short by just 18 runs in a big chase, so even a couple of those missed catches could have swung the game. It's been a frustrating season so far. The catching has been below par—not just for us, but for both sides today. Whether it's the lights or nerves, I don't know, but it’s an area of major concern.”

Despite the loss, CSK did have some positives. For the first time in the tournament, their opening pair—Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra—managed to see off the powerplay, laying a solid foundation in the chase of Punjab’s 220-run total. They put up 61 runs in just over six overs, giving CSK a glimmer of hope. However, the middle order failed to capitalize. Rachin fell for 36 and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad managed only a single run, triggering a collapse that left CSK needing over 17 runs an over in the final four.

MS Dhoni, in vintage mode, brought the crowd to life with a late onslaught—blasting 27 off just 12 balls, including three sixes. But the magic fizzled out when he was caught by Yuzvendra Chahal in the first ball of the final over, ending CSK’s fightback 18 runs short.

“The encouraging part is that we batted better. The top order provided the start we were missing, and that helped structure the chase better,” said Fleming. “But the momentum was lost in the middle overs, and the required rate ballooned out of control.”

As the Tata IPL 2025 heats up, CSK will need to fix their fielding woes fast if they hope to revive their campaign.

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