“They look to me like a 150-170 batting line-up” - Former captain’s brutal claim after CSK vs RCB IPL 2025 match
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batting unit is not built for modern-day T20 cricket, which banks on intent and aggression. The five-time champions almost made a meal of their 156-run target against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their season opener, and finished with only 146 while chasing 197 against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their second match of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL).
After a revolutionary 2024 edition, the ongoing campaign has witnessed run scoring on a different level. Most franchises conducted a major overhaul to build explosive batting units that can go hard from the word go, irrespective of collapses.
CSK were reduced to 26-3 midway through the powerplay during their loss to RCB at home on Friday (March 28), and their woes were compounded in the middle overs as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals. The batters could not deal with the required run rate, and the team were eventually reduced to 99-7 before MS Dhoni's 16-ball 30* took them past the 140-run mark to end proceedings.
Vaughan noted that CSK are not structured to meet the demands of the modern approach and that their middle order is not threatening enough.
"You look at some of the powerful sides in this year's IPL, like Punjab looks strong, RCB have depth. You actually look at Chennai, kind of the engine room in the middle, there aren't many in form. Hooda is not in great form, Sam Curran looks like he is short of a gallop in the middle, Dube hit that first six but then just the 19 off 15, again he is not in great form," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
"They look like the line-up of the old T20 games, the 150 games. They look to me like a 150-170 batting line up. If the wickets are a little bit dusty or groovy, they have a chance to chase the total. Once you get close to 197 and beyond 200, I don't think they have got the power like some of the other teams have," he added.
The first week of IPL has already witnessed the second-highest total (SRH's 286) in the competition's history, and the 200-run mark being breached six times.
"He is not a Phil Salt explosive kind of opener" - Michael Vaughan on CSK all-rounder Rachin Ravindra
IPL franchises have made it a point to include an all-out aggressive opener at the top, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and Phil Salt being credible examples. CSK switched up the opening combination for the season, as skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was demoted to No. 3 while Rahul Tripathi opened the innings with Rachin Ravindra.
It is to be noted that CSK also have seasoned opening batter Devon Conway on the bench. However, for the team to bring him into the playing XI, one of the four overseas players in Rachin Ravindra, Sam Curran, Noor Ahmad, and Matheesha Pathirana has to be benched.
"They have got Rachin at the top, a very good player, but he is not a Phil Salt explosive kind of opener, he is not a Travis Head, those are some of the openers that other teams have. I do think they have to get some of those players back in form," Vaughan said in the same interview.
CSK are next scheduled to play their first away match of the season. They will face the Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Barsapara Cricket Stadium in Guwahati on Sunday, March 30.