Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 29: Following Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) 50-run defeat to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, head coach Stephen Fleming admitted that the team has struggled to understand the pitch conditions at Chepauk in recent years.
During the IPL 2025 mega auction, CSK prioritized spinners, banking on the traditionally spin-friendly Chepauk surface. However, the pitch did not behave as expected in their second home game, contributing to their loss against RCB.
No Home Advantage for CSK at Chepauk?
Speaking in the post-match press conference, Fleming acknowledged that CSK has not been able to exploit home conditions as they once did.
“As we’ve been telling you for a number of years, there was no home advantage at Chepauk. We’ve won away from home a couple of times. And we haven’t been able to read the wickets here in the last couple of years,” Fleming said, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
In IPL 2024, the Chepauk pitch did not assist spinners, which historically has been CSK’s strength. CSK spinners took only 25 wickets, while seamers grabbed 74 wickets in the previous season.
“It’s not the Chepauk [of old] where you can just go in and play four spinners. We’re having to work really hard to try and understand the nature of each pitch, and it’s quite different,” Fleming added.
RCB Ends 16-Year Drought at Chepauk
In Friday’s IPL 2025 clash, RCB pacers Josh Hazlewood and Yash Dayal put up a commanding performance to secure a 50-run victory over Ruturaj Gaikwad-led CSK at Chepauk.
With two wins in two games, RCB now tops the IPL 2025 points table. Notably, this was RCB’s first win at Chepauk since 2008. Rajat Patidar was named Player of the Match for his crucial fifty in the first innings.