The Indian Premier League has been the talk of the town since its inception in 2008. Every year, the tournament brings together the best cricket players from around the world to showcase their skills and entertain the fans. However, this year’s edition of the IPL has been different. The powerhouses Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) have been struggling to find their form and have been defeated in four out of five matches they’ve played so far. This has led to a battle between the two teams for the unwanted title of the “worst batting side” in IPL 2025.
The CSK and SRH squads have always been known for their strong batting line-ups, with players like MS Dhoni, David Warner, and Kane Williamson leading the charge. However, this year, their batting departments have failed to deliver, leading to their downfall in the tournament so far. Both teams have been heavily reliant on their star players, but their lack of support from the other batsmen has been their downfall.
For CSK, the absence of Suresh Raina has been a major blow. The left-hander has been a key player for the team since the beginning, but his decision to pull out of the tournament due to personal reasons has left a big void in the middle-order. With Faf du Plessis also struggling to find his form, the team has heavily relied on the experience of MS Dhoni to bail them out of difficult situations. However, even the former Indian captain has not been able to produce his magic and has been facing criticism for his slow batting.
On the other hand, SRH has also been facing similar issues with their batting. Despite having one of the most explosive batsmen in the world, David Warner, at the top of the order, the team has failed to put up big scores on the board. Manish Pandey has been the only consistent performer for SRH, while their other batsmen have failed to make an impact. The team’s decision to let go of experienced players like Shikhar Dhawan and Yusuf Pathan has also been questioned by the fans and experts.
It is not just the lack of runs that have been a concern for CSK and SRH, but also the manner in which their batsmen have been getting out. Both teams have been guilty of playing rash shots and not building partnerships, which has put added pressure on the lower order. This has resulted in a string of low scores, with both teams failing to cross the 200-run mark in any of their matches so far.
The team managements have also come under the scanner for their questionable team selections and strategies. While CSK has persisted with out-of-form players like Kedar Jadhav and Murali Vijay, SRH has not given enough opportunities to their young Indian batsmen like Priyam Garg and Abdul Samad. The lack of a proper finisher in both teams has also been a major concern, with the lower order failing to provide the much-needed impetus at the end of the innings.
Despite their struggles, CSK and SRH still have some time to turn things around in the tournament. Both teams have proven match-winners in their ranks and have the ability to bounce back. However, it is high time that their batsmen take responsibility and deliver for their respective teams. With the tournament reaching its business end, the two teams cannot afford any more slip-ups if they want to keep their hopes alive for a spot in the playoffs.
In a tournament where batting plays a crucial role, it is surprising to see two powerhouse teams struggling in this department. However, it also goes to show the level of competition in the IPL, where no team can take their opponents lightly. The CSK, SRH battle for the “worst batting side” title is a wake-up call for both teams to reassess their strategies and come back stronger.
As the fans wait to see which team will emerge as the better batting side, it is important to remember that cricket is a team sport and one player cannot win matches single-handedly. CSK and SRH need to work as a unit and support each other to get back to winning ways. With the tournament far from over, it is still too early to write them off. Let us hope that the two teams will rise to the occasion and give their fans something to cheer about in the remaining matches.
In conclusion,
