Former Australian wicket-keeper bat Adam Gilchrist questioned MS Dhoni’s leadership after Chennai Super Kings suffered a two-run loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru in the ongoing IPL 2025 on Saturday.

Chasing 214 runs for the win, CSK were restricted to 211 in their 20 overs. Gilchrist questioned Dhoni for giving the penultimate over to Khaleel Ahmed in the first innings after the left-arm bowler conceded 32 runs in the first two overs he bowled.

Ahmed was taken to the cleaners by Romario Shepherd and was smashed for 33 runs in the 19th over of the innings.

“Tactically, I don’t know whether there was a huge amount that he could have done different. Maybe, Khaleel, going to him at the back end there was risky given he had gone for 32 off his first two overs. So, maybe he might have had another option there,” Gilchrist said on Cricbuzz.

“He (MS Dhoni) is never animated, he never shows visible signs of being upset, but I just wonder whether the energy is still being generated internally for him, whether the mind is ticking as astutely as it always has, just as he is edging further and further, and closer and closer to the end,” he added.

On the other hand, MS Dhoni said the fast bowlers must learn to execute the yorkers in the death overs. CSK conceded 69 runs in the last five overs, including 54 in the last two overs as the final over by Matheesha Pathirana was also taken for 21 runs.

“We need to execute our yorkers better. If you miss the yorker, it has to be a low full toss at best. Somebody like a Pathirana, if he cannot land a yorker, he can go for a bouncer with the pace he has got,” MS Dhoni told broadcasters after the match.

Chennai Super Kings will next take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata on Wednesday.