Even if we don’t qualify, need to get secure 11 for next year: Dhoni

Mumbai, April 21: “We need to see whether we are playing the right form of cricket,” the struggling Chennai Super Kings’ skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni said, urging his teammates to do a bit of soul-searching with an eye on the bigger picture of creating a “secure eleven” for the 2026 IPL season.
Dhoni hinted that players “aren’t applying themselves” but also said that he is closer to identifying the core for next year.
“With all the games that are in front of us that we are supposed to win, we just take it one game at a time and if we lose a few, what will be important for us is to get the right combination for next year,” Dhoni said after his team got trounced by nine wickets at the hands of Mumbai Indians.
“You don’t want too many players getting changed, what will be important is to try and qualify, but if not get a secure 11 for next year and come back strong,” the skipper said.
If one talks about core, CSK’s class of 2026 will not be a ‘Dad’s Army’ like the previous years.
A 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, 20-year-old Shaikh Rasheed, 21-year-old Dewald Brevis, and 22-year-old Vansh Bedi are expected to form the batting core next year with the 25-year-old Rachin Ravindra, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad and slogger Shivam Dube.
Having already lost six out of eight games, the bottom-placed CSK will find it extremely difficult to win all their remaining six games to make it to the last four stage which looks like a long shot at the moment. (PTI)