The bowling department has been a cause of concern for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

While CSK batters have consistently put on towering scores on the board, their bowlers have failed to contain the opposition batters.

Despite racking up 226 on the board, CSK had to battle till the last over to win the match by 8 runs against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday (April 17).

CSK bowlers have been guilty of bowling multiple wides and no-balls in IPL 2023. They bowled six wides against RCB, which led to Indian batting great Virender Sehwag issuing a warning to the four-time champions.

Sehwag feels if the CSK bowlers don’t improve then the day is not far when skipper MS Dhoni will face a suspension due to repeated slow over-rate offences.

"Dhoni was not looking happy because he has mentioned it before that he wants the bowlers to reduce the number of no-balls and wides. CSK had bowled two-three years of extra and against RCB, they bowled another extra over. It shouldn't go to a stage where Dhoni gets banned and CSK has to take the field without their captain.

“With the kind of knee injury he has, it appears he might play only a handful of matches more anyway. He is constantly pushing himself but if his bowlers are bowling so many wides and no-balls, then Dhoni will have to take rest," Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.

Sehwag was more miffed with CSK spinner Maheesh Theekshana bowling wides against RCB.

"It is especially disheartening to see the spinners bowl wides. These are things under your control," he said.

The former India opener called CSK's bowling attack 'weak' and added that if the Dhoni-led side fails to sort out this issue quickly then it will make their life difficult going forward in the tournament.

"I'm saying from day 1 that CSK's bowling is weak. They need to work on that department. But what more can they do? They will have to use whatever resources they have this season. The bowlers have to be more accurate. If look at their performance against RCB, they have bowled 30-35 dot balls so they didn't let RCB score a run in six overs. Despite that, they ended up conceding 218 because they leaked far too many sixes and fours," he said.

Chennai Super Kings will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk on Friday (April 21).