CSK slump to hat-trick of losses as KL Rahul keeps DC unbeaten

Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) slumped to a hat-trick of losses in IPL 2025 with the latest reversal coming against Delhi Capitals (DC) by 25 runs on Saturday evening (April 5).

Also read: Dhoni's parents watch CSK vs DC match

At their home ground – M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, CSK failed to chase down 184 against DC. This was DC’s first win over CSK in Chennai in 15 years.

For DC, legspinner Vipraj Nigam took two wickets while Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav and Mukesh Kumar had one scalp apiece.

Dhoni scores 30 not out

After opting to bat first, DC rode on K L Rahul’s 51-ball 77 to post 183/6 in 20 overs. In reply, CSK were restricted to 158/5. Vijay Shankar top-scored with 69 off 54 (5x4, 1x6) while MS Dhoni, who batted at No. 7, remained unbeaten on 30 off 26 (1x4, 1x6).

Shankar and Dhoni had a record unbroken partnership of 84 runs for the sixth wicket but could take the team home. The previous best partnership for CSK for the sixth wicket was 73 between Michael Hussey and S Badrinath.

With this victory, DC remained unbeaten and moved to the top of the IPL 2025 points table with three successive wins. CSK, on the other hand, have just one success in four matches. This was CSK’s second straight defeat at home this season.

For only the second time in IPL history, DC have won three successive games at the start of the tournament. The last time was in 2009.

CSK lose 3 wickets in powerplay

CSK lost three wickets inside the powerplay, leaving the rest of the batting to play catch-up on a challenging wicket.

With the in-form Starc (1/27) steaming in and Mukesh (1/36) keeping it tight at the other end, CSK found the going tough and both bowlers enjoyed early success, the Australian left-arm speedster laying a trap for Ruturaj Gaikwad (5) and the Indian pacer sending back Rachin Ravindra (3) after the Kiwi got a leading edge while trying to flick it through midwicket.

Devon Conway (13), one of the crowd favourites who replaced Jamie Overton in this match, too fell cheaply after getting a leading edge while trying to work the ball over midwicket. Young spinner Nigam (2/27) was the successful bowler on that occasion, as CSK slipped to 41 for three in the sixth over.

After taking a fine catch to dismiss Shivam Dube, Tristan Stubbs dropped a sitter off Vijay Shankar, when the batter was on 27 and looking to accelerate with the promoted Dhoni at the other end.

Dhoni, whose decision to bat at number 9 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) was not well-received by fans, walked in at the fall of the fifth wicket but he was not able to get those big hits going.

Poor start for DC

Earlier, the Capitals suffered a jolt at the start of their innings thanks to an excellent first over from Khaleel Ahmed (2/25), who had big-hitting opener Jake Fraser-McGurk caught after putting him under pressure with four dot balls.

Credit to Khaleel for plotting Fraser-McGurk's dismissal by banging the ball on the good length instead of allowing him to play in the 'V', something the young Australian is good at.

Notwithstanding the early jitter, DC managed to score 51 runs in the power play and that was largely because of the enterprise shown by Abhishek Porel (33 off 20 balls), who collected 19 runs from left-arm fast-medium bowler Mukesh Choudhary's first over.

Playing this game in place of Rahul Tripathi, Choudhary struggled to get his length right and was bowling either too full of too short, and Porel took full advantage of some wayward bowling.

Khaleel returned to bowl another fine over and Choudhary too did much better in his second over.

Rahul broke the shackles with a six over deep square leg off Khaleel before CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad introduced spin in the form of the seasoned Ravichandran Ashwin in the sixth over, hoping for a wicket.

Axar's six off Jadeja

The much-needed breakthrough, however, came in the next over as Porel ended up giving an easy catch to Matheesha Pathirana after driving Ravindra Jadeja uppishly in the left-arm spinner's first over.

It was a soft dismissal, and Porel would be frustrated with it as he was looking good for a big one after having settled down nicely.

Axar Patel began his innings with a six over long-on off Jadeja but, like Porel, the DC skipper too got out after getting his eye in, for a 14-ball 21.

On either side of Axar's dismissal, Rahul struck two sixes off Noor Ahmad and Jadeja respectively, before reaching his 38th IPL fifty off 33 balls.

Rahul found an able ally in Sameer Rizvi (20 off 15 balls) as the duo added 56 runs for the fourth wicket in quick time.

(With agency inputs)