IPL2025 : KKR annihilated CSK at Chepauk as the spinners run riot

 

Kolkata Knight Riders once again registered a spectacular victory at the Chepauk Stadium. Under the leadership of Ajinkya Rahane, KKR continued their winning streak at this venue by thrashing Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2025 clash. Kolkata handed CSK a crushing 8-wicket defeat on their home ground, trapping them in their own conditions. This win was particularly special for captain Rahane, as it marked a personal redemption—settling a score with MS Dhoni for a humiliation that occurred a decade ago.

At Chennai’s home ground, Chepauk, Kolkata’s spinners completely dominated the hosts, restricting them to a mere 103 runs for 9 wickets in 20 overs. The match was played on Friday, April 11, and CSK, after choosing to bat first, struggled throughout their innings. Each batter found it difficult to score, and even captain MS Dhoni could manage just 1 run off 4 balls before falling prey to spin. Shivam Dube (31) & Vijay Shankar (29) were the only two batters who crossed  20 in CSK innings . Had KKR not dropped Vijay Shankar twice CSK would have finished well below 100 runs .

KKR's spin trio bowled a combined 12 overs, taking 6 wickets between them. Harshit Rana took 2 wickets .  In reply, Kolkata chased down the modest target in just 61 balls, losing only two wickets. Sunil Narine who took 3 wickets earlier ,  smashed a quickfire 44 off 18 balls, while captain Rahane remained unbeaten on 20. Remarkably, CSK managed to hit just one six in their entire innings, whereas KKR smashed ten, including one by Rahane himself during his brief stay at the crease.

This victory was undoubtedly significant for KKR, but even more satisfying for Ajinkya Rahane. Though he didn’t publicly comment on it, deep inside, it must have felt like a moment of quiet revenge. Almost 10 years ago, in June 2015, during India’s tour of Bangladesh, the team—then led by MS Dhoni—lost the first two ODIs. Rahane, who played in both matches, was dropped from the third. Dhoni had stated that Rahane was left out because he struggled to accelerate on slow pitches and was more suited to faster tracks.

Now, a decade later, Rahane has turned the tables—leading his side to a dominant win on the very type of slow, spin-friendly pitch he was once criticized for failing to adapt to. And fittingly, it was Dhoni and his team who were trapped in the spin web Rahane’s bowlers spun at Chepauk.