M.S. Dhoni on Thursday was announced as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain for the remaining Indian Premier League 2025 season after Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out due to an injury.
The veteran takes the reins of the five-time champion at a time when it is struggling for form. CSK started its season with a win over Mumbai Indians at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium but lost the next four games.
It sits in the ninth place in the points table and has just two points from five games. The table topper, Gujarat Titans, has eight points from as many games.
Can CSK still qualify for Playoffs?
The side still has nine games left in the league stage. Four of these nine games will be at home, beginning with the Kolkata Knight Riders match on Friday.
Over the last three seasons, where 10 teams have been part of the league stage, teams have needed at least 14 points to secure the fourth spot and move into the Playoffs.
Therefore, CSK needs to win six or seven out of its nine games to advance. While it is a stiff challenge, it keeps CSK in the hunt mathematically.
CSK would also take inspiration from Kolkata Knight Riders’ run from 2014. KKR lost five of its first seven games in the league stage but then went on a nine-game winning streak to secure the title.
The longest winning run for CSK under Dhoni came in 2013 when it secured seven victories on the bounce. A similar run this year could allow it move into the Playoffs.