Is Chennai Super Kings' dominance waning after missing IPL playoffs 2 seasons on the trot?

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End of Chennai Super Kings' golden era in IPL?

Chennai Super King’ ongoing IPL 2025 campaign has gone from bad to worse after their eighth defeat of the season against Punjab Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Wednesday, April 30. With another defeat, CSK are officially out of the playoffs race and it’s second time on the trot they failed to qualify for the knockout stage of the IPL.

CSK had a poor start to the season with just one win in one match in their five outings before skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad ruled out of the remaining matches due to elbow injury and MS Dhoni stepped in as a captain. Despite the return of Dhoni at the helm as the captain, the fortunes of the team did not change as they won only one match in the next five outings.

With just two wins and eight losses, Chennai Super Kings are sitting at the bottom of the points table with just four points and have net run rate (NRR) of -1.211. With another unsuccessful season of the trot, has CSK’s dominance in the IPL begun to wane?

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Another Worst season for CSK

Chennai Super Kings have endured their worst season in the ongoing IPL 2025. The five-time IPL champions are likely to finish at the bottom of the points table if they don’t win at least two matches in their remaining four outings in the league. CSK’s final position will depend on how the other teams, especially Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad, perform in the remainder of their league stage matches.

The last time Chennai Super Kings finished on the bottom of the IPL points table was in 2022, when Dhoni stepped in as the captain mid-season after the side had a dismal start to the season with just two wins in six outings under Ravindra Jadeja’s captaincy. In the last IPL season, Chennai Super Kings heartbreakingly finished 5th in the league stage after they were knocked out of the tournament by Royal Challengers Bengaluru based on net run rate (NRR). This raises concern about the downward trend of once dominant franchises in the history of IPL.

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CSK crumbles at Chepauk

The Chepauk Stadium has been a long fortress of Chennai Super Kings, having dominated the visiting teams over the years. Before the ongoing IPL season, CSK won 50 matches in their 71 outings at Chepauk, showcasing their incredible dominance at home and exploiting spin-friendly conditions. However, in the IPL 2025, CSK have failed to stamp their authority at Chepauk, losing key home matches that would have been considered sure shot wins. Chennai Super Kings have lost 5 matches in their six outings at home, which is a worst record in a season for five-time IPL champions.

Their only victory at home came against Mumbai Indians, while they lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and now Punjab Kings. RCB ended their 17-year losing streak against CSK at Chepauk, while SRH registered their first-ever at the venue since 2013. Chennai Super Kings have only one home match remaining against Rajasthan Royals and the defeat would result in equalling Delhi Daredevils’ 2013 record of losing six matches at home in an IPL season.

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Old guard losing its edge

Over the years, the Chennai Super Kings have banked on experienced players in IPL and it paid off in their multiple title-winning campaigns. The likes of MS Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, who are part of the CSK in the ongoing IPL season, have played a crucial role in the team’s triumphs, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. However, their impact has noticeably diminished in the ongoing IPL season, with age, injuries, and declining form becoming more evident, exposing the franchise’s overall reliance on veterans and the lack of a solid succession plan to usher in the new era of modern day T20 cricket.

MS Dhoni had a lesser impact with the bat in the IPL season as he is managing his knee injury with extreme caution, often batting down the order. Even CSK head coach Stephen Fleming stated that skipper’s knee issues have prevented from playing longer innings. Jadeja, on the other hand, has scored 183 runs and took 7 wickets in 10 matches, but his overall impact has been inconsistent. The CSK’s strategy to bank on experienced stars seemed to have faltered, with a lack of fresh young talent stepping up to take the mantle in the initial phase of the tournament.

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Inconsistent recruitment strategy

One of the cornerstones behind the success of Chennai Super Kings in the IPL season was their smart retention and recruitment strategy. However, in the past couple of seasons, their auction decisions and player rotation have raised eyebrows. CSK let go of their key players, including Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Moeen Ali, Daryl Mitchell, and Mustafizur, while they retained Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana, and MS Dhoni.

In the auction, the franchise signed Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Khaleel Ahmed, Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Gopal, Sam Curran, and Jamie Overton. Except for Noor and Khaleel, most of their acquisitions failed to deliver consistent performances. In order to fix their batting woes, CSK roped in two young talented batters, Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre. CSK head coach Fleming himself admitted mistakes at the IPL auction.

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What’s next for Chennai Super King?

Chennai Super Kings are officially out of the playoffs after their defeat to Punjab Kings at Chepauk. After failing to qualify for the knockout stage twice on the trot for the first time in the IPL, serious questions arose about the team’s direction, leadership transition, and whether CSK’s golden era is finally drawing to a close. MS Dhoni’s future in the IPL remains uncertain as he continued to keep the suspense about whether the ongoing season would be his last.

The return of Ruturaj Gaikwad as a captain also remains doubtful after he had two unsuccessful seasons. Gaikwad ruled out of the season midway due to elbow injury, which he sustained during the clash against Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati. The franchise might take a tough call on the future of the management, including head coach Stephen Fleming, who has been with the team since the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008 and served as the head coach since 2009. Ahead of the IPL mini-auction next year, the management is likely reshuffle the squad again by revamping their overseas contingent and investing heavily in the emerging talents.