Srikkanth Slams CSK Over “Test Match Batting”, Asks Them To Give Chance To Prithvi Shaw

Chennai Super Kings find themselves at an all-time low following a humbling defeat at the hands of the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders. The match, played at Chepauk, ended with CSK collapsing to a dismal 103/9, their third home loss of the season—an unprecedented occurrence in the franchise’s history. Even the return of MS Dhoni as captain couldn’t salvage the situation, as the five-time champions suffered their fifth consecutive loss, a first for them this season.

With a faltering batting order and no clear solutions in sight, Friday night’s game laid bare the team’s vulnerabilities. The absence of Ruturaj Gaikwad further compounded their troubles, and a forced tactical substitution saw CSK drop Matheesha Pathirana in favour of Deepak Hooda as an Impact Player—an experiment that failed to pay off against a dominant KKR spin attack.

1983 World Cup winner Krishnamachari Srikkanth didn’t mince his words as he weighed in on the crisis. Taking to social media, he expressed sharp criticism of the team’s current approach. “One of CSK’s worst defeats ever. Powerplay batting looked like a rehearsal for a test match. Whole XI feels like it’s running on nostalgia. Time to think out of the box, why not try some unsold players like Prithvi Shaw at this point? Would you try it? even chaos is a strategy?” Srikkanth posted on X.

As CSK grapples with a deteriorating season and mounting pressure from fans and former cricketers alike, the calls for bold, unconventional decisions grow louder. Whether the franchise will respond with change or continue to lean on its legacy remains to be seen.