Too many holes in the ship, we need to get our act together: Dhoni

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni says batting has become his team's major worry in an IPL campaign thrown haywire by "too many holes in the ship". CSK failed to chase a target of 170 against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to go down by 37 runs on Saturday night. This was their fifth loss in seven games.

"Too many holes in the ship and when you try to plug one there is water flowing from another. We need to get our act together," Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.

"Everything needs to work in the same game to get a result. Once we get a result in our favour it will be slightly different for us," he hoped.

Dhoni conceded that a lot deliveries are being left by his side's batsmen in a format which mostly rewards big shots. "Batting has been bit of a worry and today also it was evident. We need to do something about it. We can't just keep turning up...it is almost the same thing that is happening maybe the individuals are different," a disappointed Dhoni said in the post-match presentation.

"I think we are better off playing the other way round - play the big shots and even if you get out, it is fine because we can't leave too many after the 15th or the 16th over. That just puts too much pressure on the lower order batsmen."

In their previous match against Kolkata Knight Riders, CSK had fallen short by 10 runs while chasing 167. "Our batting has lacked a bit of, you can say, power more from the 6th over onwards. Individuals get tentative and no matter how much confidence you are giving them, ultimately they have to have their own plan as to how to play.

"We have not been able to adapt and plan for bowlers bowling from 6-14 overs."

RCB amassed 66 in the last four overs to post a total of 169 for 4. Dhoni admitted that his team conceded too many. "I think the last 4 overs when we were bowling (didn't go to plan), before that the bowlers had done a good job, we needed to close it nicely," Dhoni said.

"I feel when it comes to our bowling we have shown we can restrict the opposition, (but) either we give too many in the first six or the last four."

The former India skipper said CSK will have to figure out their combination in the coming games. "We started with five bowlers initially but now we have six bowlers but that is something we can do (about) in the next game. That is one position we can swap with a foreign bowler or an Indian bowler.

"But our main worry remains the batting where we haven't been consistent. In the coming games we will be slightly more expressive, get out in the 17th over rather than having wickets."

CSK will face Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday.