IPL 2025: Sunil Gavaskar explains why Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have flopped in the ongoing tournament

Sunil Gavaskar explained reason behind MI and CSK’s downfall in IPL 2025.

Cricketer-turned-commentator Sunil Gavaskar has shed light on crucial reasons why Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are struggling in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. Notably, MI and CSK are the most successful teams in IPL history with five titles each.

However, both the franchises have completely failed to come up with decent performances in the initial stage of IPL 2025. Hardik Pandya-led MI have won just two games out of six and lost four. They have four points and take the seventh spot in the points table.

On the other hand, MS Dhoni-led CSK are placed at the bottom of the points table with two points. The Men in Yellow have won only one encounter out of six so far. They won their opening clash against MI but then lost five consecutive games in the tournament.

Ruturaj Gaikwad shouldn’t have changed his opening slot, feels Sunil Gavaskar

In his column for Indian daily newspaper Midday, batting legend Gavarkar explained why CSK are struggling this season. According to Gavaskar, Ruturaj Gaikwad shouldn’t have changed his opening slot as he has been quite successful at that slot in the past.

“Ruturaj Gaikwad, who has made a name for himself with heaps of runs as an opener, had before his unfortunate injury, dropped himself to bat at the fall of the first wicket. Now, why would a skipper do that unless he is out of form and the other openers are batting superbly and are in much better form than he is in,” the 75-year-old wrote.

“That is not the case and so invariably when he went into bat the Chennai team had lost a wicket in the Powerplay and he had to be a bit watchful and in the process a lot of dot balls would be the result,” he added.

Gaikwad played as an opener for CSK in the previous seasons, however, he dropped himself to No. 3 slot this season. Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway have taken the top two opening slots for the side. Earlier, Rahul Tripathi was also tried as opener at the start of the tournament. Meanwhile, Gaikwad now has been ruled out of the tournament due to an elbow fracture.

Mumbai Indians should’ve used Tilak Varma at No.3, feels Gavaskar

Gavaskar, who represented Team India from 1971 to 1987, also feels that MI messed up Tilak Varma’s batting position in IPL 2025. According to him, Varma should have taken the No.3 slot as he has played at same slot for Team India in T20Is.

“Similarly, the Mumbai team’s reluctance to send Tilak Varma at No. 3 despite his stellar record for India at that number is baffling indeed. However good an overseas batter may be, it is not easy for him to immediately come to terms with the Indian pitches, which is all the more reason for an Indian who has thrived at that number should be sent there and not dropped down the order,” added the Indian batting legend.

Notably, MI have used vice-captain Suryakumar Yadav at the No.3 slot in IPL 2025. The right-handed batsman is the leading run-getter for the side with 239 runs in six games. Varma follows him on the second spot with 210 runs in an equal number of matches.

Meanwhile, MI are scheduled to clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Thursday, April 17.

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