IPL 2025: MS Dhoni Decision Criticised by CSK Fans, Calls Ravindra Jadeja Batting in Powerplay 'A Crime'

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As Chennai Super Kings took the field for a must-win encounter against Punjab Kings, tension ran high-not just in the dugout, but across social media. With the team needing a victory to stay in the hunt for IPL 2025 playoffs, MS Dhoni's decision to send Ravindra Jadeja to bat inside the powerplay triggered a storm of criticism from fans who branded the move as baffling and even "criminal."

The frustration boiled over as Jadeja, sent in at No. 4 after an early collapse, lasted just six balls before edging one to the keeper off Harpreet Brar. CSK, who had lost both openers early, found themselves 64/3 after eight overs-a precarious situation in a do-or-die match.

But it wasn't just the wicket that irked the fans-it was the very idea of deploying Jadeja in such a high-leverage position during the toughest batting phase.

"Seeing Ravindra Jadeja in PP is nothing less than a crime!!! Everyone who is seeing the match should be arrested," said one fan, encapsulating the mood of many CSK faithful. Another lamented, "Sam Curran at 3 and Ravindra Jadeja at 4.... T20 cricket hum sharminda hai, tere kaatil abhi jinda hai," poetically mocking the batting order.

Historically, Jadeja has rarely been used in the top four, let alone during the powerplay. One fan pointed out that the left-hander has batted just 11 times inside the first six overs across 247 T20 innings and holds a strike rate of only 109.7 in such situations. The numbers, they argued, simply don't justify the tactical experiment.

Veteran fans couldn't help but draw comparisons to Chennai's earlier glory days. "We used to have Raina, Rayudu, Badrinath, Uthappa at 3 and 4. Now we have Sam Curran and Ravindra Jadeja," read one post, evoking nostalgia and highlighting what many feel is a tactical identity crisis within the CSK camp.

The pitch conditions at Chepauk added another layer to the criticism. With the surface described as dry and cracked, and known to favor spin, many felt the early loss of top-order batters demanded more specialist stroke-makers rather than pinch-hitting all-rounders. Yet, CSK's strategy seemed to go against the grain-aggressive intent over technical adaptability.

To make matters worse, MS Dhoni himself admitted at the toss that the team had been making more changes than usual this season-an indication that not much has clicked as planned. "If most of your players are doing well, then you chop and change 1-2 players. But this season it hasn't worked for us," Dhoni said.

CSK's gamble with Jadeja in the top four may have been born out of desperation rather than conviction. But with playoffs slipping away and fan patience wearing thin, it has now come back to haunt them in public discourse. In a season where every move is under the microscope, today's decision may go down as one of Dhoni's most questioned tactical calls.

As CSK stare down the possibility of becoming the first team eliminated from IPL 2025 playoff contention, the fans have made one thing clear-when it comes to powerplay strategy, they're not on the same page as Thala.