Vintage Dhoni, Fiery Dube End CSK’s Losing Streak in Style

Hyderabad : Chennai Super Kings (CSK) brought their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign roaring back to life with a thrilling five-wicket victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cricket Stadium. Breaking a demoralizing five-match losing streak, CSK delivered a well-rounded performance with both ball and bat to claim only their second win of the season.

Chasing a modest yet tricky target of 167 on a sluggish pitch, CSK showed grit and composure in their approach. The run-chase had all the drama CSK fans have come to expect — an aggressive start, a middle-order wobble, and a breathtaking finish orchestrated by none other than MS Dhoni, ably supported by Shivam Dube.

Earlier, CSK’s bowlers laid the groundwork for the win with a disciplined show. Khaleel Ahmed struck in the very first over, sending Aiden Markram back thanks to a brilliant sliding catch by Rahul Tripathi. Anshul Kamboj then removed the dangerous Nicholas Pooran for just 8, with Dhoni’s razor-sharp DRS call proving decisive once again.

For LSG, it was captain Rishabh Pant who anchored the innings with a fighting 63 off 49 balls—his first fifty of the tournament. He stitched together vital stands with Mitchell Marsh (30) and Ayush Badoni (22), but CSK’s spin attack ensured the scoring rate never spiraled out of control.

Ravindra Jadeja was at his clinical best, accounting for both Marsh and Badoni, with the latter becoming Dhoni’s record-setting 200th IPL dismissal as a wicketkeeper. Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad was miserly, especially against Pant, conceding just six runs off the 15 balls he bowled to the LSG skipper. Matheesha Pathirana applied the brakes at the death, and LSG ended on 166/7—below par for the conditions.

In reply, CSK made a surprise tweak by promoting debutant Shaik Rasheed to open alongside Rachin Ravindra, dropping the out-of-form Devon Conway. Rasheed looked impressive from the get-go, cracking 27 off 19 balls with eye-catching shots. Rachin, fluent as ever, added 37 off 22, and the pair gave CSK a blazing start, putting up 50 in just 26 balls.

However, LSG struck back with quick wickets as Bishnoi and Markram removed the openers, and Jadeja and Vijay Shankar fell soon after. From 50/0, CSK slipped to 111/5, and the equation became 56 off 30 balls—setting the stage for Dhoni’s magic.

Taking charge of the chase, Dhoni began cautiously before launching a trademark assault. He smacked a four, edged another, and then unleashed a vintage one-handed six in the 17th over that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Meanwhile, Shivam Dube weathered the pressure before launching a brutal counterattack in the 19th over off Shardul Thakur. He smashed a boundary, a huge six off a full toss, and capitalized on a no-ball to plunder 19 runs from the over. With just four required from the last, CSK sealed the game with an over to spare.

Dhoni remained unbeaten on a fiery 26 off 11 balls, while Dube stood tall with 43* off 37 — a measured and match-winning knock that silenced critics and reignited CSK’s playoff hopes.

Brief Scores:
LSG 166/7 (Pant 63, Marsh 30; Jadeja 2/24, Pathirana 2/45)
lost to
CSK 170/5 in 19 overs (Dube 43, Rachin 37; Bishnoi 2/18) by 5 wickets.*