Virender Sehwag did not hold back in his assessment of MS Dhoni's brief appearance at the crease during the Chennai Super Kings' disheartening loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday night. In the post-match analysis following KKR's commanding victory, host Jatin Sapru inquired whether Dhoni's presence until the end could have salvaged CSK's innings. Sehwag dismissed this notion with his characteristic straightforwardness.

"I don't believe that would have made a difference. Even if he had remained not out, they could have managed a maximum of 130 runs. KKR successfully chased down the target of 104 in just 10.5 overs. The only change would have been that we would have gone live at 11:30 PM instead," Sehwag remarked, clearly dissatisfied with Chennai's batting collapse on their home ground.

This match marked a historic low for CSK, as it was the first instance in IPL history that they lost three consecutive matches at Chepauk. To compound the situation, the team was limited to a mere 103/9, their lowest total ever at this venue and the third-lowest in the league's history.

Despite Dhoni's return as captain, stepping in after Ruturaj Gaikwad's injury sidelined him for the tournament, the five-time champions appeared completely out of sync.

CSK's poor outing

Batting At No. 9, Dhoni scored only one run from four deliveries before being dismissed LBW by Sunil Narine during the 16th over. His exit left the Chepauk crowd in shock and reignited discussions about whether the experienced wicketkeeper should have batted earlier.

CSK's innings struggled to gain any rhythm, managing a mere 31 runs during the powerplay, with wickets falling consistently. Shivam Dube (31*) and Vijay Shankar (29) were instrumental in helping CSK surpass the hundred-run mark, while KKR's spin-dominant bowling attack, spearheaded by Narine (3/13) and Varun Chakaravarthy (2/18), effectively dismantled the home side.

In reply, KKR comfortably chased down the target in just 10.1 overs, with Sunil Narine delivering an explosive performance, scoring 44 runs off only 18 balls, which included five sixes. The match concluded with Rinku Singh hitting a massive six off Ravindra Jadeja.

This defeat marked CSK's fifth consecutive loss in IPL 2025, leaving them in ninth place on the points table with only one victory to their name. Conversely, KKR climbed into the top four, currently sitting third with three wins and three losses from six matches.

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