Former Chennai Super Kings batter Suresh Raina has criticized the franchise for a poor auction after MS Dhoni’s team is struggling to get going in the ongoing season. CSK have managed only two wins in nine games in IPL 2025 and they are struggling at the bottom of the standings. 

Ergo, their season is all but over as their chances of qualifying for the playoffs are miniscule. The five-time champions have failed to come up with a collective batting and bowling effort in the ongoing edition and it has led to their downfall.

Suresh Raina revealed that CSK’s think tank never had a IPL auction discussion with him even when he was the team’s vice-captain.

“They (management) always make a call to MS, I remember that. I was never close to the auction planning, to be very honest. I never had a discussion with the management regarding all of this. MS used to get a call sometimes whether to get a player or not, or make a bid, but he was never fully involved,” Raina said on Star Sports

Raina added Dhoni would never have done an auction like IPL 2025.

“The manner with which they did this auction, you can imagine, Dhoni aisa auction kar hi nahi sakta (Dhoni can never do an auction like this). He will mention the 4-5 players that he wants, that is it,” he added.

The former left-hander added the big-cheque players are not delivering consistent performances for the five-time champions.

“A 43-year-old captain, who is playing as a brand and for fandom, is putting in the effort. He is keeping wickets at this age, captaining the side, taking the entire weight of the team on his shoulders. What are the other 10 players doing? The 18 crore, 17 crore, 12 crore players are not responding to the captain,” the CSK legend said.

Chennai Super Kings will take on Punjab Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Wednesday.