What on Earth Is Going On with Chennai Super Kings? How does a team that seemed to have the title-winning formula all these years suddenly miss the IPL playoffs two years in a row — for the first time in history?
So today, putting CSK's disappointing performance under the microscope, let's try to figure out: what exactly went wrong?
Winning formula outdated
It’s no secret that CSK has always relied heavily on experience. Remember when they were famously called the Dad’s Army? Well, that old faith went up in flames this year. From Devon Conway to Vijay Shankar to R Ashwin — none of them delivered match-winning performances.
The only silver lining was Ravindra Jadeja, but even his all-round show wasn’t impactful enough to rescue the team from its troubles.
Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Injury
To make things worse, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to injury after just the first five matches. This is the same guy who was the second-highest run scorer last season! Calling it a massive blow would honestly be an understatement.
No “Thala” Magic This Time
As soon as Gaikwad was sidelined, the captaincy baton went back to MS Dhoni. Fans hoped for a classic Dhoni-led comeback — but this time, the magic simply didn’t work. Under Dhoni’s leadership, Chennai has lost 4 of their last 5 matches, becoming the first team to be officially knocked out of the tournament. A shocking fall for the men in yellow.
Finishers: From Fireworks to Fizzles
In the finishing department, CSK had Shivam Dube — but with a strike rate of just 132.6, he hardly lived up to expectations. Things got so desperate that they even tried Deepak Hooda as a finisher. The result? A complete disaster: just 51 runs from 5 matches at a strike rate of 75.6. That’s far from what you need in this high-octane format.
Youth Movement – Too Late, Too Little
By the time CSK finally considered investing in young talent, it was already too late. Youngsters like Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre had already proven that the game has moved on — and if you don’t evolve with it, you’ll be left behind.So, tell us — are the Chennai Super Kings themselves to blame for their toughest season ever? Or is this just a painful bump in an otherwise glorious legacy?
