Even if we do not qualify, we must be safe for next year: Dhoni

Mumbai, April 21 (PTI) “We have to see if we are playing the right form of cricket,” said struggling Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, and called on his teammates to do a little soul search with an eye on the bigger picture to create a ‘secure eleven’ for the 2026 IPL season. Dhoni has hinted that players “do not apply themselves”, but also said that he is closer to identifying the core for next year. “With all the matches in front of us we are supposed to win, we only take it one game at a time, and if we lose a few, which will be important to us, is to get the right combination for next year,” Dhoni said after his team was in the hands of Mumbai Indians on Sunday night. “You don’t want too many players to change, which will be important is to try to qualify, but if you don’t get a safe 11 for next year and come back strongly,” the captain said. If you talk about Core, CSK’s 2026 class will not be a ‘Dad’s Army’ like the previous years. A 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, 20-year-old Shaikh Rasheed, 21-year-old Dewald Brevis and 22-year-old Vandh Bedi are expected to form the batting core next year with 25-year-old Rachin Ravindra, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and slogan Shivam Dube. After losing all six out of eight games, the CSK-bottom CSK will find it extremely difficult to win all their remaining six games to get to the last four phase, which currently looks like a long shot. “… We are successful because we play good cricket and at the same time, if we don’t play well, it’s important not to get too emotional about it and be practical at the same time,” he added. Dhoni rarely gives his opinion on any issue, but he did not cut words to dissect his team’s poor batting. CSK has always failed to chase or set up big scores. “I think we were a lot under par, because we all knew that Dew would come in the second half and that we were in the position to utilize the middle overs,” Dhoni talked about a lack of cricket -sentence among the fighters. He wanted his set fighters to start striving slightly earlier. “I just felt that (Jasprit) Bumrah is one of the best death buyers in the world, once he (Bumrah) started early, it was the time we had to capitalize and started our slogan slightly early.” And if even Bumrah also goes runs, it’s a plus. I think there were some overs where we could have gotten a little more runs. We needed the runs because 175 with the dew is not a parlor. “He was all praise for Mhatre, who all knocked out of the park.” I think as a youngster he hit very well, and it’s the kind of approach needed where you play your shots and at the same time, you choose your shots that are your power, “the skipper said.” So it is a good sign for us at the top of the order that if he can keep playing, it will become slightly easier for the middle and lower order. “First published: 21 Apr 2025, 12:26 p.m.