'We were not really there' - MS Dhoni concedes season might be over for Chennai Super King

'We were not really there' - MS Dhoni

Fleming: This team may have run out of juice

The CSK head coach takes stock of where his team stands after seven losses in 10 games

Ten games, seven losses, just six points, and a spot right at the bottom of the table. It's not what the Chennai Super Kings are used to not to mention their fans and MS Dhoni conceded after the team's latest defeat, by seven wickets to the Rajasthan Royals that "this season we were not really there.

'We were not really there' - MS Dhoni concedes season might be over for Super Kings

Fleming: This team may have run out of juice

The CSK head coach takes stock of where his team stands after seven losses in 10 games

Ten games, seven losses, just six points, and a spot right at the bottom of the table. That's not what the Chennai Super Kings are used to not to mention their fans and Dhoni conceded after the team's latest defeat, by 7wickets to the Rajasthan Royals that "this season we were not really there".

As for the younger players in the squad, who, perhaps, could have been given a chance as the side floundered, Dhoni was direct, saying "maybe we didn't see the kind of spark" that would have forced the management to change things around.

"We tried a few things - that is one thing you don't want to do, you don't want to do too many chopping and changes because what really happens is after three-four, or five, games you are not really sure about anything," Dhoni told Star Sports, the official broadcasters, after the game in Abu Dhabi. "So you want to give guys a fair go. Then if you are not performing, you switch and go back to somebody else and then you give him the same kind of run. Insecurity is something that you don't really want to prevail in the dressing room.

"This season, we were not really there. And there were a few chances to the youngsters and maybe we didn't see the kind of spark that they could have given us to say, okay, push the experienced guy and maybe make some space for them."

And Dhoni said that most of them would get a chance in the remainder of the games, perhaps hinting that he had given up hope of a turnaround - four wins in four might give them a chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

"Today, the result, what it really does is give those guys whatever is left in our league stages, they will get a chance and they will have no real pressure on them," he said. "They can go out and express themselves. And give us the option of looking at what are the options in batting line-up or where they would like to bat."