'They should throw it all on the line' - Michael Clarke, Piyush Chawla dissect CSK's flaws, suggest remedies

Michael Clarke questioned Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) approach after they lost their home fixture against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, April 11. For the first time, CSK lost five games on the trot in the Indian Premier League (IPL). This was also the first time they lost three consecutive games at Chepauk in a season. The five-time champions are languishing at No. 9 on the points table, while bottom-placed Sunrisers Hyderabad have the same number of points and a game in hand.

Chennai batters were at sixes and sevens against the KKR bowlers after Ajinkya Rahane won the toss and opted to field first. There was already a fair amount of help for the bowlers, and CSK's lack of intent made the work of Sunil Narine and Co. easier. The hosts were restricted to 103/9, their lowest score at Chepauk. KKR made light work of the target, romping home with eight wickets and 9.5 overs to spare. This turned out to be Chennai's biggest margin of defeat in terms of balls remaining.

Clarke suggested that the Men in Yellow should ditch their conservative approach and go for the jugular in the matches to come. However, the former Australia skipper also said that CSK's confidence has taken a beating, and it won't be easy for them to turn things around.

“Wicket looked quite tough to bat on. There was a little bit of movement with the new ball and certainly some spin. I think Chennai Super Kings got their plan wrong. The way they went about it—it's clear they’re down on confidence. And their intent—well, there was no intent. At the moment, it seems like a very conservative approach—just trying to get close to winning or avoid a big defeat. Instead, they should throw it all on the line, risk everything, and try to win the game. That kind of change is easier said than done. Just like a good, confident feeling can become infectious in a winning dressing room, the same applies when you’re losing. That losing feeling lingers, and it’s hard to get rid of sometimes," Clarke said via Match Centre Live on JioHotstar.

Seen enough of Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda: Piyush Chawla

Former CSK leg-spinner Piyush Chawla urged the MS Dhoni-led side to bring in youngsters like C Andre Siddarth as experienced players like Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda have faltered despite getting ample opportunities thus far.

“At this stage, I think Chennai Super Kings should consider bringing in youngsters. Someone like Andre Siddarth, who is a solid middle-order batter, deserves a chance. You’ve already seen enough of Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda. So why not give these young players an opportunity to show what they’re capable of? A new face might come in, get some quick runs, and boost confidence—not just for themselves but for the whole team. Not saying they should make wholesale changes—but maybe one or two tweaks to freshen things up," Chawla advised.