Is this shaping up to be Chennai Super Kings' worst IPL season ever?

Chennai Super Kings are the joint-most successful franchise in the Indian Premier League history. Despite missing two seasons due to suspension, they have played 10 finals and reached the playoffs on 12 occasions. That means out of 16 IPL editions, CSK have qualified for the playoffs 12 times. From the inaugural season till 2015, CSK secured playoff qualification on all occasions. However, they have had a topsy-turvy run since making a comeback in 2018. They won three IPL titles between the 2018 and 2024 editions but also exited early on three occasions.

In the ongoing 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings became the first team to be eliminated from the playoff race on Wednesday. It is now the fourth time their campaign has ended in the league stage. These are worrying signs for a team that boasts a huge fan following. MS Dhoni isn’t going to be around for too long and the franchise hasn’t found a captain that one should feel confident about. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad was unfortunate not to have played the entire season but during the time he was available, CSK lost four out of the first five matches in IPL 2025. He took over the captaincy duties last year and Chennai Super Kings finished fifth on the table. This season is shaping up to be their worst in Indian Premier League history.

MS Dhoni returned to captaincy, there were mid-season replacements and constant changes in the playing XI - it was one of those seasons where nothing worked for them. 

Two wins in 10 matches is not something you would normally associate with Chennai Super Kings. What’s more worrying is the fact that the franchise might have a similar fate, next year as well. They would look to make some good acquisitions but how many good players will be there for the taking at the mini-auction for next year? 

Who has batted well for CSK? 

Several players underperformed this season, leaving CSK with tough choices on whom to retain or release. The kind of form Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway have shown, it would be hard for the Yellow Army to justify retaining both.  

CSK put faith in experienced campaigners over fearless youngsters and it didn’t pay off. Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, and Vijay Shankar’s struggle is a message for CSK to reconsider its auction strategy. 

For the power-hitter slot in the middle overs, CSK trusted in Shivam Dube, who enjoyed a brilliant outing with the bat, last year. He scored close to 400 runs at a strike rate of over 160. But he couldn’t replicate the same kind of destructive hitting this season. 

In the top 20 run-getters this season, there isn’t a single CSK batter present in the list- something which tells you how badly they have performed with the bat.

What has gone wrong with the ball? 

When it comes to bowling, Khaleel Ahmed was brilliant in the powerplay, while Noor Ahmed led the charge in the spin attack. The duo has collectively picked 29 wickets in 10 games. However, support from the rest of the bowling unit was lacking.

What has happened to Ravindra Jadeja? 

Ravindra Jadeja’s role has been invaluable to Chennai Super Kings’ success, over the years. His effectiveness with the bat, ball, and in the field is second to none, but his performances over the past two seasons have been a shadow of his former self. During the victorious 2023 IPL campaign, Jadeja took 20 wickets. In stark contrast, the all-rounder has claimed 15 wickets combined in two seasons (8 in IPL 2023 and 7 in IPL 2024). Ravindra Jadeja’s under-whelming season has been a major reason behind CSK’s ineffectiveness in the middle overs.

CSK's Struggles in Death Overs

CSK’s lackluster bowling in the death overs remains another concern. Matheesha Pathirana, who is their designated death-over bowler, has lacked consistency and wicket-taking bite. In eight matches, he has picked nine wickets at 33.11, going at 10.39 runs per over. 

The absence of Deepak Chahar has hurt them massively. They haven’t had someone who could replicate a similar role. Khaleel Ahmed has picked up wickets consistently in the powerplay but needs a lot of improvement in the death overs. 

What are the positives? 

Perhaps, the injuries to Ruturaj Gaikwad and Gurjapneet Singh have turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Chennai Super Kings have found two batters who could serve them for many years to come. 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre showed signs of brilliance from his maiden outing itself. Mhatre provided quickfire starts in the powerplay in his first two games- something CSK had been missing this season. 

South African batter Dewald Brevis also showcased why it was a mistake from IPL franchises not to buy his services at the auction. He made an immediate impact by showcasing power-hitting, helping CSK accelerate in the middle overs.

Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see how CSK approach their remaining four games this season. It will be worth seeing which players they choose to try out.