In a much-needed turnaround, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) halted their five-match losing streak in the IPL 2025 by defeating Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by five wickets in a thrilling encounter on Monday. The match, played in Lucknow, saw MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube shine with the bat as Chennai successfully chased down 167 with just a few balls to spare.
Chennai began their chase on a high note, with openers Rachin Ravindra and Shaik Rasheed adding a fiery 52-run stand within the first five overs. However, LSG bowlers struck back quickly—Avesh Khan removed Rasheed for 27, while Aiden Markram sent Ravindra back soon after. Middle-order batters Tripathi, Jadeja, and Shankar failed to make significant contributions, putting pressure on the visitors.
Dube, introduced as an impact substitute, played a composed knock of 43*, holding the innings together even as wickets fell around him. MS Dhoni, arriving at a crucial juncture in the 15th over, entertained fans with a brisk 26. In the final over, needing just 4 runs, Dhoni showed unselfish leadership by giving Dube the strike, who sealed the win with a boundary to the offside.
Earlier, Lucknow posted 166/7, largely thanks to a fighting 63 from captain Rishabh Pant, who found some rhythm after a lean patch. He partnered well with Mitchell Marsh and Abdul Samad, but the rest of the LSG batting order faltered. A total of 54 dot balls in the innings underlined their struggle to maintain momentum.
With this victory, CSK not only broke their losing streak but also revived their playoff hopes, led by the calmness of Dhoni and the grit of Dube in a match that brought back memories of vintage Chennai resilience.
