Virender Sehwag Blasts MS Dhoni’s Finishing Role In CSK, Says, ‘For 5 Years…’

MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja found themselves in a familiar position on Sunday, tasked with closing out a thrilling chase for Chennai Super Kings against Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 match. With 20 runs required off the final over, all eyes were on Dhoni to deliver one of his trademark finishes.

However, his attempt to go big ended in disappointment as he was caught by Shimron Hetmyer for a 16-run knock off 11 balls. Jadeja, too, was unable to turn the tide, and CSK succumbed to their second consecutive defeat, falling short by six runs while chasing a 183-run target.

While the margin of loss was narrow, it exposed a concerning pattern—CSK has struggled to chase down totals exceeding 180 runs for the past five years.

Sehwag Highlights CSK’s Struggles in Big Chases

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag, who has been involved in the IPL as a player, coach, and analyst, shed light on CSK’s ongoing difficulties in high-pressure chases. He emphasized that achieving a run rate of 20 runs per over in the final stretch of a match is an extremely tough ask, even for the best finishers in the game.

“Scoring 40 runs in 2 overs is a difficult task. No matter how big of a player is in the middle, it is a difficult job. You win on one or two occasions, and that is about it. I remember Dhoni pulled off a heist when he hit 24 or 25 runs off the bowling of Axar Patel, and on one instance, he smashed Irfan Pathan for 19 or 20 runs in Dharamsala,” Sehwag told a cricket information portal.

A Declining Impact in Finishing Games?

Sehwag pointed out that while Dhoni was once renowned for his ability to finish games in style, recent seasons tell a different story. He backed his argument with statistics that underline CSK’s failure to successfully chase down targets exceeding 180 runs over the last five years.

“You can just remember one or two matches on top of your mind. No recent matches come to your memory. For five years, CSK have been unable to chase totals of more than 180,” he asserted.

Dhoni’s Late Entry and Struggles

Dhoni walked in to bat at the start of the 17th over after CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad’s dismissal. With Jadeja at the other end, the veteran struggled to get going against Rajasthan’s bowling attack. Maheesh Theekshana kept Dhoni in check, forcing him to consume precious deliveries before he could get a proper read on the wicket.

Although he did manage to clear the ropes once and find the boundary with another shot, it wasn’t enough to close the gap as CSK fell behind the required run rate.

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