"How can you send Ashwin and Jaddu at No. 4 and No. 5?" - Aakash Chopra questions CSK's batting order in IPL 2025 loss vs RR

Former India player Aakash Chopra has criticized the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the batting order they employed in their IPL 2025 clash against the Rajasthan Royals (RR). He questioned why Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were sent to bat at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.

Ashwin scored 13 runs off eight deliveries and Jadeja managed a solitary run off five balls as CSK set RR a 188-run target in Match 62 of IPL 2025 in Delhi on Tuesday, May 20. Sanju Samson and company achieved the target with six wickets and 17 deliveries to spare, virtually ensuring that the five-time champions will finish last this season.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener wondered why CSK sent both Ashwin and Jadeja ahead of their specialist batters.

"Very interestingly, Chennai made changes in their batting order. They sent Ashwin at No. 4 and Jaddu at No. 5. This team does incredible things. I couldn't understand it. How can you send Ashwin and Jaddu at No. 4 and No. 5? It's okay if you send one as a pinch-hitter, but why the second?" he said (14:15).

Chopra pointed out that Shivam Dube was forced to bat cautiously as CSK had lost five wickets when he came to bat in the eighth over.

"You keep wondering as they have Dewald Brevis and Shivam Dube as well. If Jadeja is coming at No. 5, Brevis at No. 6, that means Shivam Dube at No. 7. Is that right? You might say that he still got to play 30 balls, but there is a small difference. Five wickets would have fallen when someone comes at No. 7, and then he feels he has to play cautiously because if he gets out while hitting, they won't even play 20 overs," he observed.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Dewald Brevis and Dube's batting positions didn't make sense.

"Shivam Dube, who used to be an incredible player, has become half this season because he has been pushed so low in the batting order. I am not particularly impressed. Dewald Brevis at No. 6 and Shivam Dube at No. 7, it makes very little sense," Chopra stated.

Dewald Brevis smashed 42 runs off 25 deliveries in CSK's IPL 2025 clash against RR. Shivam Dube scored a slightly sedate 32-ball 39 and batted till the 20th over, ensuring his side didn't get bowled out.

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"Riyan Parag came to bowl" - Aakash Chopra on MS Dhoni's struggle against spin in CSK's IPL 2025 loss vs RR

MS Dhoni played a slow knock in CSK's IPL 2025 clash against RR. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that MS Dhoni was forced to walk out to bat in the 14th over, allowing RR to strangulate him with their spinners.

"There is one problem in front of MS Dhoni for sure. If he gets to bat in the 14th or 15th over, people will employ spin against him. Riyan Parag came to bowl. Wanindu Hasaranga's overs were held back. Suyash Sharma's over was held back one day, and Yuzvendra Chahal's over was held back on another day," he said (15:50).

While acknowledging that Dhoni struggles a little against spin at the start of his innings, the analyst questioned why the CSK skipper had to go to bat so early.

"Everyone holds spin back so that they can bowl spin when Dhoni comes. It shouldn't be that obvious. There is no doubt that it's Mahi's problem, as he is unable to hit spin that much when he arrives at the crease, or doesn't try to hit that much, but why is he getting to bat so early despite you having such a lengthy batting order?" Chopra observed.

MS Dhoni scored 16 runs off 17 deliveries in Tuesday's game. He added 43 runs for the seventh wicket with Shivam Dube in 5.3 overs to take CSK to a decent total, which proved insufficient.