CSK coach is hopeful that the team will make it to the playoffs despite losing five matches in a row

CSK batting coach Michael Hussey remains optimistic that the five-time champions will turn around their fortunes in the IPL 2025 season and qualify for the playoffs after they have lost five games on the spin. CSK are experiencing their worst season in the IPL, as they are doing so for the first time that they have lost 5 consecutive matches in the history of the tournament. Further, the 8-wicket defeat on their part against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday was their third successive defeat at Chepauk of the season, which has occurred for the first time.

Mike Hussey said in the post-match press conference, “We are definitely not raising the white flag right now. You have to play just to get to fourth place. In a big, long tournament like the IPL, it is all about momentum. Now, certainly the momentum is not with us at the moment. We are not playing good cricket consistently. We definitely accept that, put our hands up and say that is the fact at the moment. That doesn’t mean that things can’t change and change quickly. So, we are still sticking to that, and that is what we are working hard towards. If we can change that momentum and get some confidence and get some wins on the board then the confidence will grow and you never know.”

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been one of the most successful teams in the history of the tournament. However, they had a bad run of luck last season. CSK, under the captaincy of Rituraj Gaikwad, remained in the race to make it to the playoffs but missed out on it by losing their final group stage match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Mike Hussey stressed that the team needs to first believe in themselves and then stay united to turn things around this season. Currently, CSK are placed 9th in the points table, just ahead of Sunrisers Hyderabad.

"We might be able to make it to one of the last spots in the table come playoff time. And that's a long way off, and we definitely need to turn things around. But we still believe we can do it," Hussey said. "This is the time when we really have to stay together, keep working really hard, keep working on things that we find really important.

"I mean, there's a lot of talk about our style of play and things like that, but with the players that we have, we don't want to ask them to play in a completely different way to their natural way. He said, "They have come to the IPL to play well in their own way and I am certainly not the person to ask them to play differently." CSK will next face Lucknow Super Giants on Monday.