Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni minced no words after the team faced its seventh loss in nine games during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Following a crucial 5-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Dhoni openly criticized the team’s batting unit for failing to deliver under pressure.

Despite making notable changes, including bringing in Dewald Brevis and Deepak Hooda while dropping Rachin Ravindra, CSK’s batting woes continued. The team suffered an early setback with Shaik Rasheed getting dismissed on the first ball of the match, setting a disappointing tone for the innings.

“We kept losing wickets, and in the first innings the wicket was slightly better and 155 is not a justifiable score,” Dhoni said, reflecting on CSK’s inability to post a competitive total. He acknowledged that while the pitch became slightly two-paced later, it was nothing extraordinary to excuse the low score.

Debutant Dewald Brevis provided a glimmer of hope, scoring a brisk 42 off 25 balls. However, apart from him, CSK’s middle order failed to gain momentum. Highlighting Brevis’ effort, Dhoni said, “He batted really well and we need something like that in the middle order where we have struggled when spinners come in.”

Dhoni further pointed out CSK’s consistent struggles against spin bowling in the middle overs, an area he believes is costing them crucial runs.

While CSK’s spinners staged a commendable fightback to stretch the match, the lack of runs eventually cost them the game. Dhoni stressed that if a majority of players underperform, it becomes impossible to maintain consistency in team selections, forcing frequent changes.

“In a tournament like this, if majority are not doing well, it becomes very difficult,” he noted. The captain emphasized the importance of adapting to conditions and setting competitive targets, noting that while it may not always require 180-200 runs, assessing the pitch and conditions correctly is critical.

As CSK now faces the threat of early elimination, the team’s top order will need urgent rectification to keep their hopes alive in the tournament.

Virat Kohli’s consistent form in IPL 2025 continued as he cracked his fifth half-century of the season, leading Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to victory over Rajasthan Royals (RR). The knock propelled Kohli from eighth to second place in the race for the Orange Cap. He now stands at 392 runs from nine innings at a stellar average of 65.3.

Gujarat Titans opener Sai Sudharsan, however, remains the leading run-scorer with 417 runs in just eight innings. Notably, Kohli’s strike rate stands at 144.1, underlining his solid yet calculated approach throughout the campaign.

Orange Cap leaderboard after RCB vs RR

Hazlewood climbs to second in Purple Cap chart

In the bowling department, Josh Hazlewood turned heads with a four-wicket haul that helped RCB seal a crucial win. He now shares the second spot in the Purple Cap rankings with Prasidh Krishna at 16 wickets each. Though both have the same wicket tally, Krishna holds a better economy rate of 7.3.

RCB’s all-rounder Krunal Pandya also featured among the top wicket-takers, joining six others at 12 wickets each. His economical spell of 2/31 was pivotal to RCB’s comeback in the match.

Purple Cap leaderboard after latest fixtures

Note: Players with equal wickets are ranked by economy rate.

RCB climbs to third as playoff race intensifies

RCB’s victory marked their first home win this season, elevating them to third in the points table with 12 points. Despite having the same number of points as Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals, RCB’s net run rate places them below both.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals continue to struggle, stuck at eighth with only two wins in nine matches. Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, who face each other next, round off the bottom of the table.

IPL 2025 points table after RCB vs RR

Manoj Bhandage, the young all-rounder from Karnataka, was brought in as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) impact player during their IPL 2025 clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 18. However, the highly anticipated appearance ended on a disappointing note as he was dismissed cheaply after RCB’s batting order collapsed in a shortened innings.

RCB reels after rain-hit start

The encounter at Bengaluru was disrupted by heavy rainfall, leading to a significant delay. Once play resumed at 9:45 PM, the fixture was reduced to 14 overs per side. RCB, who were put in to bat first, struggled heavily as wickets fell in quick succession, leaving them reeling at 41/6 within the first eight overs.

In a bid to salvage their innings, the team turned to Manoj Bhandage, deploying him as their designated impact player.

Profile: Who is Manoj Bhandage?

Manoj Bhandage, born on October 5, 1998, in Karnataka, was acquired by RCB for ₹30 lakh during the IPL 2025 mega auction. A left-handed batter and right-arm medium pacer, Bhandage is known for his aggressive style and versatility with both bat and ball.

He made his T20 debut for Karnataka in 2019 and later featured in List A cricket starting 2022. In 14 List A matches, Bhandage has accumulated 235 runs at a strike rate of 100.42 and has taken 10 wickets at an economy rate of 4.80. His T20 record includes 186 runs and 13 wickets from 24 appearances.

Bhandage has been recognized for his ability to contribute in the lower-middle order while offering useful overs with the ball, which prompted RCB to test his potential under pressure.

Short stay at the crease

Unfortunately for the debutant, his contribution was limited. Facing Marco Jansen, Bhandage attempted to flick a length delivery but misjudged its line. The ball struck his pad with his front leg airborne. Although he opted for a review, technology confirmed no bat contact, and the ball-tracking data indicated a marginal clip of the leg stump. The umpire’s original decision of out was upheld, and Bhandage had to walk back after scoring just one run from four balls.

His brief outing added to RCB’s woes on a night where their top and middle order offered little resistance, leaving fans and management with unanswered questions about their depth under pressure.