Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Ruturaj Gaikwad provided insight into the decision to retire Devon Conway during their recent match, where the five-time champions faced another defeat in the IPL 2025 season. CSK lost to Punjab Kings by 18 runs in Mullanpur, unable to chase down a target of 220 runs. MS Dhoni contributed a quick 27 runs off 12 balls, but this was insufficient for victory.

Conway, a left-handed batsman, scored 69 runs from 49 balls, including six fours and two sixes. However, prior to the last delivery of the 18th over, the CSK management opted to substitute Conway with Ravindra Jadeja. Notably, Dhoni was at the crease when this decision was made.

In the final over, CSK needed 28 runs to win, with Dhoni facing Yash Thakur. Dhoni received a low full-toss but ended up giving a straightforward catch to Yuzvendra Chahal at fine leg. Jadeja remained not out with 9 runs off five balls.

During the post-match presentation, Gaikwad was questioned about the reasoning behind Conway's substitution. He explained that the management believed Jadeja would be more effective in finishing the innings.

"Jadeja is a better timer of the ball and is particularly effective higher up the order. His role is distinct, and he is recognized for that. Therefore, it was expected that a change would occur when we noticed the batsman was struggling," Gaikwad stated after the match.

"Initially, he was still connecting well with the ball. We waited until we deemed it necessary to make the change, and then we decided it was the right time," he added.

‘Fielding errors costing us’

The  The defeat to Punjab Kings marks CSK's fourth consecutive loss in the 2025 IPL season. Throughout all five matches, the team led by Gaikwad has struggled with subpar fielding. Numerous catches have been missed, and the CSK captain has pointed to this as the primary reason for the team's disappointing performance in the tournament thus far.

"We are dropping catches, and the same batsman is adding an extra 15, 20, 25, or even 30 runs. This is making a significant difference. Excluding the RCB match, in the last three games, it has often come down to just one, two, or three key hits," Gaikwad stated.

"While it's possible to have an off day, we are genuinely trying to improve our fielding, but currently, we are not succeeding," he continued.

In the match between CSK and PBKS, Priyansh Arya was named Player of the Match for his impressive 103 runs off 42 balls.

As a result, CSK now finds itself in ninth place on the points table, having accumulated only 2 points from five matches.

Read Also: IPL 2025: Patidar Overcomes Odds to Lead RCB with Grit and Glory

"Get the latest Bollywood entertainment news, trending celebrity news, latest celebrity news, new movie reviews, latest entertainment news, latest Bollywood news, and Bollywood celebrity fashion & style updates!"