The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are one of the most successful franchises in Indian Premier League (IPL) history with five titles.
However, their 2025 season has come to an end after they became the first team to be knocked out of play-off contention.
With just two wins and eight losses after 10 games, it has been an underwhelming season for the men in yellow.
Here, Bilal Patel assesses what went wrong for CSK in this year’s IPL.
Batting woes
It’s fair to say CSK have been the worst team with the bat in this edition.
Injury to top-order batter and captain Raturaj Gaikwad early in the campaign was the beginning of their downfall.
Although Mahendra Singh (MS) Dhoni struggled to steady a sinking ship by taking over captaincy duties mid-season, their problems lay much deeper.
Amongst everything, their inability to maximise their batting total in the powerplay has stood out.
In six out of 10 instances, they failed to score at least 50 runs in the powerplay – the most by any team.
Their continuous slow starts meant they would end up playing catch-up at times.
In the modern day, where the T20 format is known for its explosive hitting, CSK remained stubborn with their conservative approach which ended up costing them.
Home struggles
Their so-called home fortress at Chepauk has been breached this season, losing five out of their six home encounters.
After their opening victory of the IPL season at home against the Mumbai Indians, it has been a struggle on home soil for the men in yellow.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru won at Chennai for the first time since defeating CSK in their home patch in the inaugural IPL season in 2008.
Fellow strugglers Sunrisers Hyderabad also won their first ever game at Chepauk this year.
Their overall inconsistencies in all departments has led to their decline in form at home this year as they have lost three times bowling first and twice batting first.
What’s next for CSK?
Despite a horrid season, it is not all doom and gloom for CSK.
They currently have two bowlers in the top five wicket takers in the entire tournament so far, which include Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed with 15 and 14 wickets respectively.
Looking ahead, all eyes will be on the veteran, MS Dhoni, and whether the 43-year-old will continue to play for another season.
This is the fourth time CSK have failed to reach the play-offs in the past six seasons.
Ironically, they did win the 2021 and 2023 editions, so they do have the capability to bounce back.
Chennai will have to find its feet again next season as they will be looking to continue the legacy and success it has cemented.
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