In this season of the Indian Premier League, the performances of Chennai Super Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad have been deeply disappointing. Both teams, which had shown consistent success over the past few seasons, now seem to be struggling to find their footing. This has led to the obvious question—where did these two teams go wrong?
After 9 matches, Hyderabad has managed only three wins, while Chennai has secured just two. As a result, even the dream of reaching the playoffs has become difficult. Fans are finding it hard to accept such outcomes from teams filled with high-profile players.
One of the key reasons behind their failure is the severe underperformance of their batting line-ups. Among Chennai’s regular batters, only MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad have shown some consistency in strike rate. The rest have strike rates below 135, which is simply unacceptable in modern T20 cricket. Players like Shivam Dube, Rachin Ravindra, and Rahul Tripathi have repeatedly failed to take responsibility. Even Deepak Hooda has added little to the scoreboard.
The story isn’t much different for Sunrisers Hyderabad. Heinrich Klaasen tried to anchor the innings at times, but Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan lacked consistency with the bat. Most of them, barring one or two innings, failed to make any significant impact throughout the tournament.
Another major reason for their downfall was poor decision-making during team formation. Hyderabad spent massive sums retaining Klaasen for ₹23 crore and acquiring Pat Cummins for ₹18 crore, while Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma were each bought for ₹14 crore. This left them with limited opportunities to bring in fresh talent from the auction.
Chennai Super Kings struggled with their middle order throughout the tournament. In T20 cricket, the middle order plays a crucial role in building the innings, but Chennai lacked any reliable presence in that position.
Bowling has also been problematic. While Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed delivered consistent performances for Chennai, veterans like Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin have been disappointing. On the other hand, only Harshal Patel has shown glimpses of form for Sunrisers. Bowlers like Mohammad Shami, Pat Cummins, and Harshal Patel have failed to consistently take wickets, despite conceding plenty of runs.
All in all, poor retention decisions, out-of-form batters, and inconsistent bowling performances have led to the downfall of both Chennai and Hyderabad in IPL 2025. In the next mega auction, they will surely aim to rebuild their strategies. After all, to win the title, it takes not just luck but also smart planning.
