MS Dhoni has always been the master of playing his cards close to his chest, but after CSK’s win over Lucknow Super Giants, the Chennai captain is making waves with a rare, bold statement about his team's struggles. In a match where Dhoni’s explosive 26* off 11 balls and brilliant wicketkeeping helped break CSK’s five-match losing streak, he took an unexpected swipe at the pitch at MA Chidambaram Stadium — a ground that was once considered a fortress for CSK.
“Nobody wants to play timid cricket,” Dhoni declared post-match, and those words hit harder than his signature helicopter shot. The legendary captain was clear: the slow, sluggish pitches at Chepauk were forcing CSK to play conservatively, stifling their natural attacking style. This wasn’t just a tactical complaint — it was a call for change. Dhoni’s words struck a chord, not just in Chennai but across the IPL.
CSK has struggled at home in 2025, losing three out of four matches at Chepauk. With only two wins in seven games, their early season form has been underwhelming, and Dhoni attributes some of this slump to the pitch conditions that have traditionally suited spinners more than attacking batsmen. His solution? Better wickets that encourage fearless cricket and allow the team to express themselves freely.
And Dhoni is not alone in his concerns. Kolkata Knight Riders’ captain Ajinkya Rahane and Lucknow Super Giants’ bowling coach Zaheer Khan have also voiced frustrations about slow pitches this season, arguing that they often favor the home team at the expense of entertainment.
As Dhoni's bold statement echoes across the IPL, the question remains: will the powers that be heed the call for better pitches, or will this season’s slow wickets continue to stifle the league’s biggest stars? One thing is for sure — when Dhoni speaks, people listen, and this pitch debate is only heating up.
