Chennai Super Kings head coach Stephen Fleming blamed the team’s poor fielding for their fourth consecutive loss in the IPL 2025, this time against Punjab Kings. According to Fleming, the match slipped away due to sloppy fielding and missed chances at crucial moments. Priyansh Arya was given two lifelines which proved costly.
He was dropped by Khaleel Ahmed on six runs and again by Mukesh Choudhary when he was on 73. Arya went on to score a quick century off just 39 balls. Another major error came in the 17th over when Ravindra Jadeja dropped Shashank Singh at deep midwicket. These mistakes allowed Punjab Kings to build a massive score and left CSK with a tough chase.
Batting Shows Some Improvement
Despite the loss, Fleming found some positives in the improved performance of CSK’s top order. Openers Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra gave the team a strong start, putting up 61 runs in the first 6.3 overs while chasing a big total of 220. This was the first time in the season that CSK’s openers managed to play out the powerplay.
However, the middle-order collapse again hurt the team’s momentum. Rachin and captain Ruturaj Gaikwad were dismissed quickly, and the scoring rate dropped. As the required run rate increased to 17 runs per over in the final stages, MS Dhoni tried to pull off a miracle with a quick 27 off 12 balls. But his dismissal in the final over ended CSK’s chances, and they fell 18 runs short.
Coach Stresses Need for Better Execution
Stephen Fleming admitted that CSK lacked control and precision during key phases of the match. He said the team couldn’t handle pressure moments and failed to stop Punjab’s aggressive batting. He also mentioned that both teams struggled with catching, possibly due to lighting issues, but CSK’s fielding errors stood out.
On a positive note, he praised the top-order for showing intent and giving a solid platform, which had been missing in previous games. However, he stressed the importance of maintaining the scoring rate through the middle overs and staying consistent throughout the game. Fleming concluded that while there was improvement, the team must learn to handle pressure and execute plans better to turn things around in the upcoming matches.
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