Can CSK Qualify for IPL 2025 Playoffs?

One of the most successful teams in the Indian Premier League, Chennai Super Kings, is having its worst season ever in this league. They lost back-to-back 5 matches for the first time in the history of the IPL.

The run of misfortune didn’t stop there; CSK’s captain, Ruturaj Gaikwad, was ruled out of this season’s IPL due to injury. MS Dhoni has taken charge of leading this team for the last few matches. He is leading the team for the first time after the 2023 IPL final. Will MS Dhoni’s captaincy magic change CSK’s fate, and will CSK qualify for playoffs? Let’s find out in this article.

CSK's 5-match losing Streak

For the first time in history, Chennai faced 5 consecutive defeats. After a brilliant performance against the Mumbai Indians in their first match of this season of IPL, CSK lost their momentum and lost 5 back-to-back matches. These five consecutive defeats have significantly damaged CSK’s Net Run Rate, which is now negative.

However, they stunned Lucknow Super Giants in an away fixture and showed their resilience in making a comeback. The win was not that convincing, but despite this, it boosted the confidence of the CSK players. But they could not carry the winning momentum forward and lost their next game to Mumbai Indians in a one-sided encounter.

Is there any Chance for CSK to Qualify?

Even after beating LSG, CSK stood at the bottom of the IPL standings, which shows their performance in the first half of the season. Their defeat to Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium in the next game has further hampered their chances of making it to the playoffs. As of now, CSK has played their 8 matches and won only 2 matches, one against the Mumbai Indians and the 2nd one against LSG on the 14th of April.

They still have 6 more league matches to play, and also to qualify for the playoffs. In their remaining matches, CSK need to win at least 6 matches to secure their confirmed spot in the playoffs. If they manage to win all their 6 matches, they will have a total of 16 points, and that will be enough for the qualifications.

Even if CSK manages to win 5 matches, they still have a chance of qualification. If they win 5 more matches in the league stage, then they will have 14 points. Last season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru qualified for the playoffs with exactly points. That means there are still chances that CSK can qualify for the playoffs. However, they have to improve their net run rate (NRR) as, due to their lower net run rate, they were not able to qualify for the playoffs last season.

CSK IPL Titles

Chennai Super Kings have the most number of trophies, i.e. five IPL titles, all under MS Dhoni’s leadership. Their title-winning years are 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, and 2023. In 2010, they beat Mumbai Indians, and in 2011, they defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore. After a suspension in 2016-17, CSK returned to the IPL and won in 2018 against Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 2021, they got a victory over Kolkata Knight Riders, and in 2023, they clinched the title against Gujarat Titans. Dhoni’s calm captaincy made CSK one of the most successful teams, tying with Mumbai Indians for the most IPL titles.

CSK Captains

CSK is the only team in IPL history to have only Indian captains. Since 2008, MS Dhoni has been their main leader, captaining 226 matches and winning five titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023). His technique of leading his team is very different; he remains calm under pressure situations, which made CSK a top team. Suresh Raina stepped in as captain in 2010 and 2011 for six games when Dhoni was unavailable. In 2022, Ravindra Jadeja led for eight matches but faced challenges, so Dhoni returned as captain to lead CSK. Ruturaj Gaikwad captained in 2024, managing 14 games. In 2025, Dhoni took back the role after Rituraj Gaikwad’s injury. CSK’s captaincy remains proudly in the hands of an Indian and mostly steady.

CSK Past Performances

Since 2008, they have played 15 seasons and reached the playoffs 12 times. They won five titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023), making them one of the best teams. CSK were runners-up in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2019. They missed the playoffs in 2020, 2022, and 2024. In 2016 and 2017, they were suspended due to a fixing issue. CSK’s strong record includes 139 wins from 239 matches. With loyal fans and great players, they are known for consistency and exciting cricket in the IPL.