Chennai Super Kings picked up right where they left off last season, quite literally. Having finished with the wooden spoon in IPL 2025 for the first time in their history, CSK were left languishing at the bottom of the table after losing their first three games. A spate of injuries, including one to MS Dhoni, and bowling concerns were among the key issues that raised the bigger question: can CSK truly thrive without Dhoni?
Chennai’s fate changed over the next 25 days. They won two on the trot at home, riding on Sanju Samson’s return to form, which included a century, then completed a double over the Mumbai Indians and eventually beat the Delhi Capitals away from home on Tuesday. In their last seven games, Chennai have won five, which not only lifted them from 10th place in the points table but also propelled them to sixth, triggering questions about whether CSK could make the playoffs for the first time since lifting the title in 2023.
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Could this be the season for Chennai?
With 10 points from as many games, Chennai have just two fewer than second-placed Royal Challengers Bengaluru and three fewer than table-toppers Punjab Kings, although both have a game in hand. They also have two points fewer than Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans, who are placed third, fourth and fifth, respectively. They even have a better net run rate than Gujarat.
Chennai have not reached the playoffs under Ruturaj Gaikwad yet. They finished fifth in 2024 and 10th in 2025. But as things stand, a playoff spot could still elude them.
Of the four games they have remaining, two are against the struggling Lucknow Super Giants over the next 10 days, where Chennai will start as favourites against the 10th-placed side. However, their final two matches are against in-form teams—Sunrisers Hyderabad and Gujarat Titans. The game against SRH will be at home, but Chennai haven’t been at their best at Chepauk this season, losing two of their five games there.
Chennai will need at least 16 points to guarantee a playoff spot, and only wins in all four remaining games would see Gaikwad breathing a sigh of relief. Even a single defeat could derail their hopes, given how closely contested the season has been.
Gaikwad can still walk away with positives
Despite what the results may show over the next few weeks, Gaikwad will have more positives to take away than just their position on the table. In a season where Dhoni has yet to feature and uncertainty remains over his return, Chennai have found an able finisher in Kartik Sharma, who scored unbeaten 54 and 41 in the last two matches—both wins.
Even amid a spate of injuries, including that of Ayush Mhatre, who was their only in-form batter early in the season before being ruled out, the team showed faith in their bench strength. Whether it was Gaikwad stepping up as an opener or the inclusion of Sarfaraz Khan in the middle order as an Impact Player, the depth has held up. Dewald Brevis, too, returned from injury at the right time to bolster the middle order amid declining returns from Shivam Dube, while Jamie Overton has been a standout performer for Chennai this season with both bat and ball.
Not to forget Samson—“the backbone” of the Chennai line-up—who has scored 402 runs in 10 matches, including two centuries, along with scores of 48 and 87. And finally, another reliable overseas spin option in Akeal Hosein, who has already picked up seven wickets in five games at an economy rate of just 7.24.