'It was first time we put enough runs on the board but...': MS Dhoni blames teammates as CSK eliminated from IPL 2025 playoff race

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni believes that the team felt slightly short while batting; they need to score a few more runs. He also blamed teammates for dropping catches behind their defeat in a must-win clash against the Punjab Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

PBKS defeated CSK by four wickets, and with that loss, the MS Dhoni-led side becomes the first team to get eliminated from the 18th edition of the IPL.

"I think the batting - yes, it was the first time we put enough runs on the board. But was it a par score? I feel slightly short. Yes, a bit demanding from the batters but I feel we could've got slightly more. I feel we need to take our catches. The partnership between Brevis and Sam was excellent. We didn't play the last four deliveries, and the second last over four batters got out. In close games, those 7 deliveries mean a lot" said Dhoni in post-match presentation.

Sam Curran was the standout performer for CSK in at Chepauk against the Shreyar Iyer-led side. Dhoni lauded the star batter for his 88-run knock.

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"Well he's a fighter (Curran). That's something we all know. Whenever he turns up he wants to contribute. Unfortunately so far, whenever we tried to give him a chance, the wicket was on the slower side and he found it slightly difficult. But today's wicket was one of the best we've got at home in this tournament. That's the reason I felt we needed another 15 runs. It's the momentum in the middle order (Brevis offers). He's also a very good fielder, he has power and he can hit good balls for boundaries. And he brings good energy. Happy with the way he's playing. He can be an asset going ahead" Dhoni added.

Coming back to the match, Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh made well-measured fifties after a splendid hat-trick by Yuzvendra Chahal as Punjab Kings' four-wicket victory knocked five-time champions Chennai Super Kings to knock out of the IPL 2025.