IPL 2025 | "We’re trying our level best in all three departments": Gaikwad

Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad on Saturday expressed his concerns with the side’s struggles in the Powerplay and said they are “over concerned or tentative” about how they fare in the first six overs with both bat and ball.

CSK suffered their third defeat in four outings in this edition of the IPL, going down by 25 runs to Delhi Capitals at Chepauk.

“Not today, since the last three games, it’s not really going our way. We’re trying our level best in all three departments,” Gaikwad said at the post-match presentation.

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DC’s KL Rahul during his 77 v CSK in Chennai on Saturday. Pic/AFP

“I think Powerplay is definitely a concern for us — in the batting and bowling department. We’ve spotted that since the second game.

“We’re trying but it’s just not happening. I just think that we are over concerned or tentative about who’s coming on to bowl in the Powerplay… we’re losing a wicket in the first or second over. We’re just over concerned about things in the Powerplay.”

CSK managed just 46 runs for the loss of three wickets in the Powerplay on Saturday, having struggled to get going in their previous outings also.

Set a tricky target of 184 on a pitch where batting was not the easiest thing to do, CSK were restricted to 158 for five in 20 overs. Vijay Shankar top-scored for CSK with 69 off 54 balls, while MS Dhoni remained not out on 30 in 26 deliveries.

Stylish India batter KL Rahul played the leading role in DC’s comfortable win, making 77 off 51 balls while opening the innings, having batted at No. 4 in the last match.

“It’s just how it’s been! I am quite used to it. I was personally prepping to play at the top of the order before the IPL started. I had a chat with the coach, and he said he wanted me to bat at No. 4 because we had a player who didn’t turn up,” Rahul said.

Brief scores
DC 183-6 in 20 overs (KL Rahul 77, A Porel 33; K Ahmed 2-25) beat CSK 158-5 in 20 overs (V Shankar 69*, MS Dhoni 30*; V Nigam 2-27) by 25 runs

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