CSK players 'hurting', will fight for 4th playoffs spot: Hussey

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting coach Michael Hussey said the players and support staff are "hurting" after the five-time champions were beaten by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in an IPL 2025 match on Friday night (April 11).

Also read: What Dhoni says on CSK's heavy defeat against KKR

CSK suffered an embarrassing eight-wicket defeat to KKR after recording their lowest-ever score at the Chepauk of 103 for nine. CSK hit a new low with five straight defeats including three in a row at home – MA Chidambaram Stadium.

What Hussey said

“Well, this one hurts a lot. I mean, it really does. The players are hurting, and the support staff are hurting. And, as I said earlier, the fans, I'm sure, are hurting with this one as well. This is a time where you really find out who are your true supporters. We're certainly not putting the white flag up just yet,” Hussey said at the post-match press conference in Chennai.

Also read: KKR demolish CSK in Chennai

“You only have to get in to scrape into that fourth (and final playoffs) place. And in a big, long tournament like the IPL, it is about momentum. Now, certainly the momentum is not with us at the moment whatsoever. We haven't been playing good cricket consistently. We definitely acknowledge that, put our hands up, and say that is a fact at the moment. But that's not to say things can't turn around and can't turn around quickly,” he added.

CSK's style of play

The former Australian and CSK batter backed the current squad and said they have the “right players”.

“I still think we've got the right players. We've just got to try and help them find some confidence and consistency and then hopefully we can sort of grow and build from that, whether that's with the bat, ball or in the field,” Hussey said.

“There's a lot of talk about the style of our play. But the players we’ve got, we don't want to ask them to play in a completely different way; that's natural to them.

“They’ve got here to the IPL for playing really well in their way. I’m certainly not one to try and get them to play in a different way. They play at their best because that's the way they play,” he added.

Backing Indian players

Hussey dismissed suggestions that CSK have stacked their squad with players past their prime or are hesitant to back young talent.

CSK's middle-order comprises Indian players Rahul Tripathi, Shivam Dube, Vijay Shankar and Deepak Hooda who have failed collectively this season. “I would argue that they're beyond their prime. I don't agree with that. We've had players in the twilight of their career come and play at CSK in the past. I think of Shane Watson. I think of Ajinkya Rahane.”

He continued, “They've performed really well for CSK. I still think that the players that we've got still have some good cricket in front of them and can offer us a lot. We can find their best and see some great performances from them. With regards to youngsters, we want to pick guys when they're ready to perform. We've got some very good players that are waiting for their chance. No question about that.”

Hussey acknowledged CSK have been below-par in all three aspects of the game. “We have certainly been below par in all three facets of the game. (But) we're not out of it altogether. We’ve got to stick tight, identify the areas we can improve and just get back on that horse as quickly as we possibly can.”

“If we start to fracture, if we start to change things too much, which has certainly not been a CSK trait in the past, then things can go worse before they get better. We need to do a bit of soul-searching,” he said.

CSK next travel to Lucknow to face Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on April 14.