Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India]: Michael Hussey, the batting coach, has reassured the “hurting” Chennai Super Kings that they are not yet prepared to “put up the white flag” after their fifth straight loss in the Indian Premier competition (IPL) 2025, which is their first in the history of the lucrative competition.

One of the most successful teams in the history of the competition, the Chennai Super Kings, are on the edge of collapse after losing badly against the Kolkata Knight Riders, the reigning champions.

For the first time since 2023, MS Dhoni took the helm of Chennai after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the season. He hopes to turn around his favourite team’s first-ever season as CSK continues to tread carefully.

Chepauk, Chennai’s ancient fortification, was brutally destroyed by the Knight Riders under the command of Captain Ajinkya Rahane. After a disastrous first-inning batting performance, the flashy wave of yellow was silenced.

With lightning-fast pace, the Knight Riders destroyed the insignificant 104-run mark in only 10.1 overs, defeating the hosts by an overwhelming 8 wickets despite the tired Super Kings’ attempts to mount a comeback.

CSK’s prospects of qualifying for the playoffs are dwindling as they are just one position above the bottom thanks to the one positive story in their six meetings. However, Chennai and Hussey are unwilling to surrender without a fight.

“Well, this one is very painful. It does, after all. Both the athletes and the support crew are in pain. And as I said before, I have no doubt that this one is also harming the fans. You really discover who your actual supporters are at this point. To be sure, we’re not raising the white flag just yet. At his post-game news conference, Hussey said, “You just need to get in to scrape into that fourth [and final playoffs] place,” according to ESPNcricinfo.

“Momentum is key in a lengthy, major competition like the Indian Premier League. Now, without a doubt, we do not now have any momentum. We haven’t been playing consistently excellent cricket. We undoubtedly accept it, raise our hands, and declare that it is now the case. However, it doesn’t mean that things can’t improve and can’t improve rapidly,” he said.

Prior to Friday night’s depressing match, Chennai had never suffered three straight home losses at Chepauk. Hussey has put his confidence in the seasoned leadership hierarchy to steer the team through the difficult time, while CSK’s thought tank is actively searching for a means to restore their lost magic.

“Stephen Fleming is simply someone I know. He is undoubtedly an excellent instructor. In fact, he will, and MS Dhoni has long been a fantastic leader as well. “Ruturaj [Gaikwad] will remain with the team,” he said.

“I believe they’ll make a concerted effort to make this squad as cohesive as possible. They will check for fractures and make sure we’re still holding on because, let’s face it, we deserve all the criticism we’re going to get from the outside. So far in the competition, we haven’t done as well as we would have hoped. However, from an internal perspective, we must adhere to strict guidelines,” he said.