Chennai Super Kings' aspirations of maintaining their winning streak following last week's victory over Lucknow Super Giants were thwarted as Mumbai Indians' Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav delivered impressive unbeaten half-centuries, providing a stark reminder to MS Dhoni's squad. On Sunday, Chennai faced defeat against their long-time rivals, losing by nine wickets at the Wankhede Stadium.

Rohit made a strong return to form, scoring an unbeaten 76, and formed a crucial 114-run partnership for the second wicket with Suryakumar, who contributed 68 runs off just 30 balls, enabling Mumbai to successfully chase down a target of 177 with 26 balls remaining. The 37-year-old, who was again utilized as an impact substitute, also collaborated for 63 runs in the opening partnership with Ryan Rickleton, who managed 24 runs before being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja, setting the stage for Mumbai's third consecutive victory.

In contrast, Chennai, under Dhoni's leadership due to the absence of regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who is sidelined with an injury, suffered their sixth loss in eight matches, leaving them at the bottom of the 10-team standings.

How can Chennai still qualify for IPL 2025 playoffs?

Despite With only four points from eight matches so far, Chennai remains in contention for a playoff spot. It is worth noting that Royal Challengers Bengaluru demonstrated last year that it is possible to advance to the next round of the league with just 14 points, marking a first since the tournament expanded to ten teams.

Chennai still controls its destiny, and their only viable path forward is to win all their remaining matches, which would bring their total to 16 points. Additionally, they must secure victories by substantial margins to enhance their net run rate, currently at -1.392, the lowest in IPL 2025.

Regarding their playoff prospects, Dhoni emphasized the importance of focusing on one game at a time to maintain hope.

"We must understand that our success stems from playing quality cricket. Conversely, when our performance dips, it is crucial not to become overly emotional, while also remaining practical," he stated.

Dhoni also acknowledged the realistic outlook based on the team's performance in the first half of the tournament. He outlined the next steps, which include establishing a "secured" eleven and preparing to rebound in the next IPL season.

"Aside from that, we are working to address our weaknesses. With the upcoming matches that we need to win, we will take it one game at a time. If we face losses, it will be essential to find the right combination for next year. We want to avoid excessive player changes. Our goal is to qualify, but if that does not happen, we need to solidify our eleven for next year and return stronger," he concluded.

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