Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s return to captaincy couldn’t inspire Chennai Super Kings as Kolkata Knight Riders produced a disciplined bowling performance to restrict the hosts to a paltry 103 for 9 — their lowest-ever total at Chepauk — in an Indian Premier League clash on Friday.

Dhoni, leading CSK again after regular skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with injury, saw his side struggle on a sluggish surface as they lost wickets in clusters.

Shivam Dube’s unbeaten 31 offered some resistance, with Vijay Shankar (29) and Rahul Tripathi (16) making modest contributions. But CSK never truly recovered from the early blows.

Sunil Narine was the architect of the collapse, returning figures of 3 for 13. He was ably supported by Harshit Rana (2/16) and Varun Chakravarthy (2/22), as KKR choked the flow of runs and applied relentless pressure throughout the innings.

The Super Kings’ final score of 103 for 9 in 20 overs marked their lowest total at home in IPL history, and a forgettable start to Dhoni’s second stint as captain this season.

Brief Scores: Chennai Super Kings: 103/9 in 20 overs (Shivam Dube 31 not out, Vijay Shankar 29; Sunil Narine 3/13, Harshit Rana 2/16, Varun Chakravarthy 2/22).