CSK ‘Have Reached Patal Lok’: Former India Star Criticizes Team After Defeat by KKR in IPL 2025

Murali Kartik’s Assessment

Former Indian cricket team spinner Murali Kartik has commented on the dire situation of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. Following a devastating defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Kartik expressed that CSK appears to have hit rock bottom. With only one win in six matches, CSK is languishing in the ninth position in the points table. This poor performance has drawn substantial criticism from both cricket pundits and fans alike. Kartik has urged the five-time IPL champions to regroup and dig deep to overturn their dismal run, referencing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s remarkable comeback in IPL 2024.

Hope from Past Examples

“You can only come upwards from here. You cannot go any lower. It feels like they have reached patal lok (hell). The way this season has gone, you think that this is now my team and what I can do with it. The more you can collectively dig deep from here, the more you can reverse the situation like RCB did last year. They said that let us have a deep look at ourselves and they won six matches on the bounce. I think there is still hope and till you have thrown in the towel, there is still hope,” Kartik said during an interview on Cricbuzz.

Skipper MS Dhoni’s Perspective

A visibly disappointed MS Dhoni, the captain of CSK, attributed the severe loss to KKR to the underperformance of the batting lineup. He emphasized the need for the players to avoid desperation and instead show better application in upcoming matches to halt the disastrous slide. “It has been quite a few nights that has not gone our way. The challenge has been there, we have to accept the challenge. Today I felt we did not have enough runs on the board,” Dhoni remarked.

Game Analysis

In the match against KKR, CSK was restricted to a paltry score of 103 for nine. KKR chased down this target in a mere 10.1 overs, marking CSK’s biggest defeat in IPL history in terms of balls remaining. “It has been the case over here (Chepauk), when we bowled in the 2nd innings it stopped a bit, today it did in the first innings. When you lose too many wickets, there is pressure and with quality spinners it is difficult,” Dhoni explained.

The Road Ahead

The loss against KKR added to CSK’s woes as it marked their fifth consecutive defeat of the season. As the tournament progresses, CSK will need to address their batting vulnerabilities and strategize effectively to salvage their campaign.

(With PTI inputs)