Chennai Super Kings’ Embarrassing Exit from IPL 2025 – Out of the Tournament First

Desk Report: Chennai Super Kings' IPL 2025 Journey Ends – First Team to Be Knocked Out

Chennai Super Kings’ campaign in IPL 2025 has come to a disappointing end, as they became the first team to be eliminated from the tournament. On April 30, a home defeat against Punjab Kings crushed all hopes of qualifying for the playoffs. For the first time in history, CSK lost five consecutive matches at home.

Despite being led by the legendary MS Dhoni, the team managed to win only 2 out of their 10 matches this season. This marks one of the most disappointing performances in CSK’s IPL history. But what exactly went wrong for the five-time champions? Let’s take a look at the key reasons behind their early exit.

Why Chennai Super Kings Crashed Out Early in IPL 2025 – A Complete Breakdown

In modern T20 cricket, aggressive batting, especially during the powerplay, often decides the course of a match. However, CSK lagged behind significantly in this area throughout IPL 2025. Whether it was the powerplay, middle overs, or the death overs, CSK’s batting lacked the required intent and firepower.

Shockingly, by April 30, CSK had failed to score even once over 200 runs while batting first. Their only 200+ score came while chasing against Punjab Kings – a match they still ended up losing. While most teams maximized the powerplay, CSK’s opening pair struggled. Despite giving chances to Rachin Ravindra, Devon Conway, and Rahul Tripathi, none could provide explosive starts. Eventually, the team had to rely on young and inexperienced players like Sheikh Rasheed and Ayush Mhatre. While both showed glimpses of talent, they couldn't consistently perform under pressure.

Statistically, CSK's powerplay run rate of 7.9 was the worst among all teams, and they managed to hit only 6 sixes in the first six overs across the season — again, the lowest. Their ball-to-boundary percentage of 5.1% was the worst in the league.

Fielding was another major weakness. CSK dropped 17 catches, the second-highest after Rajasthan Royals (18). Even captain Ruturaj Gaikwad and MS Dhoni admitted that poor fielding cost them crucial games.

Former CSK star Suresh Raina and several experts criticized the team’s auction strategy. Despite having a budget of ₹55 crore, CSK failed to pick any real game-changers and struggled to build a strong core. The team relied on experienced players who underperformed. Rachin Ravindra and Conway disappointed at the top, while Rahul Tripathi, Deepak Hooda, and Ravindra Jadeja failed to anchor the middle order.

Raina suggested CSK should have invested in aggressive wicketkeeper-batsmen like Rishabh Pant or Ishan Kishan. On the bowling front, only Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmad made some impact. Veterans like Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja were largely ineffective, and Matheesha Pathirana proved expensive and struggled to take wickets.

To make matters worse, CSK's original captain Ruturaj Gaikwad got injured mid-season, forcing MS Dhoni to step back into the role. However, Dhoni's strategies lacked clarity, and frequent team changes left players uncertain of their roles. The franchise also delayed giving chances to young talents. While other teams backed youngsters like Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya, CSK gave late opportunities to Sheikh Rasheed, Ayush Mhatre, and Dewald Brevis — by then, it was too late.