Reasons Behind CSK’s Continuous Losses in 2025 IPL
Remember those glorious days? The roar of the Chennai crowd and Dhoni’s cool head, guided the Super Kings to victory after victory. Yes, you can easily recall the good old days of five IPL trophies and reminisce about their legacy of dominance. However, those days have become yesteryear events. Why? Because something has gone terribly wrong in 2025 for CSK. The yellow army, once seemingly invincible, is now struggling like never before. Fans are disheartened and wondering what has gone wrong. Just two wins in seven matches? A net run rate (-1.276) that’s downright scary? What exactly happened to the CSK we all knew and loved?
Corporate Soldiers brings you the cracks behind this shocking downfall of Chennai Super Kings. Let us try to understand how the mighty have fallen.
Can’t Let The Old Horse Go?
Every star loses its sheen someday. This goes for the captaincy chaos that CSK faced. The trouble started even before the first ball was bowled. Let us tell you how. Remember Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was supposed to be the new captain? Well, here the smooth transition went wrong. Since he got injured early on, the scenario for the team got changed and it forced MS Dhoni to step back into the role. Even though he had already given it up after that amazing 2023 final.
No doubt that Dhoni is a legend and will stay a legend forever, but we have to realize one thing that even he couldn’t magically fix things. It almost felt like CSK was relying too much on Dhoni’s legacy instead of building a new identity for themselves. That sudden change really shook things up and exposed that there wasn’t a clear plan for the captaincy in the first place.
At 43, Dhoni is officially the oldest captain in IPL history and honestly, his return has been a bit of a rollercoaster. While everyone loves seeing Dhoni lead, it’s had a complicated effect on CSK’s performance this season.
The Absence of Ruturaj Gaikwad:
As we already told you how the IPL season 2025 began on a tragic note for CSK when their regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad stayed out due to an elbow injury. Gaikwad, who had been trained and groomed as Dhoni’s successor, was important for CSK. Whether it is about leadership or role in the batting lineup. Hence, his absence left CSK’s plans disarrayed.
Reason Beyond Dhoni:
Though the captaincy became a much-talked-about scenario in this whole downfall, it’s not all about Dhoni. There’s more to this CSK struggle than just the captaincy situation. Let’s see what are the other reasons behind their failure!
Reason 1.
Their middle order crumbles under pressure and they were relying way too much on older players like Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube (who’s basically been the only reliable batter). The younger guys, like Sameer Rizvi, just haven’t stepped up to the plate.
Reason 2.
CSK failed on pace bowling. In an aggressive play like IPL, if you have no teeth in attack, you are bound to face failure. CSK, with Deepak Chahar getting injured again, the absence of a world-class pacer left their attacks toothless. As a result, opposing teams have been smashing them all over the ground, especially in those crucial final overs. Hence, their bowling has been another weak link this season. Matheesha Pathirana, while promising, hasn’t been able to shoulder the burden alone, and Khaleel Ahmed’s inclusion hasn’t delivered immediate results. Against Delhi Capitals, standout spells from opposition spinners Vipraj Nigam and Kuldeep Yadav highlighted how CSK’s bowlers failed to adapt under pressure.
Reason 3.
Has Chepauk’s magic gone? Remember how Chepauk used to be a nightmare for batsmen facing spin? Well, those pitches aren’t doing the same anymore. There’s variable bounce now, which has basically made CSK’s spin-heavy attack a lot less effective. Jadeja and Moeen Ali have really struggled to adapt to the changing conditions. Hence, it seems like CSK misread the homeground. Even coach Stephen Fleming admitted about the same that CSK had failed to read the pitches accurately this year.
Reason 4.
Looking back at the 2025 auction, it’s clear that CSK ended up with some serious holes in their squad. However, there were some serious problems that occurred for them, such as these! Missteps taken at auction caused squad imbalance.
Neglected Fast Bowlers & Spin Overload:
While CSK reinforced their spin department with Ravichandran Ashwin and Noor Ahmad, they neglected fast bowling options. We know how critical it is for power-play breakthroughs to have fast bowlers in a team.
Aging Players:
CSK has average age of players 30.5-31 years which is higher than the other teams. We know that Dhoni and Jadeja remain important players but are showing signs of decline in fielding and consistency.
| Team | Average Age |
| CSK | 30.5-31 years |
| RCB | 29-30 years |
| MI | 28.5-29.5 years |
| DC | 27.5-28.5 years |
| LSG | 28.5-29.5 years |
| KKR | 28-29 years |
| PBKS | 28-29 years |
| SRH | 27-28 years |
| GT | 27.5-28.5 years |
| RR | 27-28 years |
Lack of Depth:
Young players like Shaik Rasheed have yet to make an impact, leaving CSK overly relian on veterans. Additionally, letting go of players like Moeen Ali without adequate replacements weakened their middle order further.
Batting Order Disorder:
CSK’s batting this season has been alarmingly fragile, often undermined by a lack of intent right from the start. Especially their ‘Powerplay performances’, they lost three or more wickets within the crucial first six overs in a concerning 4 matches. Openers like Rachin Ravindra struggled to fill the void, frequently faltering and leaving the middle order dangerously exposed far too early. Hence, they have now the lowest home score ever, 103/9 against KKR which further highlights their batting unit’s frailty.
Fan Backlash Invited More Psychological Fatigue:
Fans are the power booster behind any team. But when you face backlash from your loyal fans, morale will surely like to hit rock bottom. CSK faced the same situation after five consecutive losses. The whole social media buzzed with trends like #SorryRuturaj and #CSKOut reflecting fan disillusionment. Captain Gaikwad’s post-match statement hinted towards the same, the ongoing crisis of confidence, ‘We are over-concerned and tentative’. Even Dhoni’s return couldn’t mask the collective anxiety he was under.
The Win Over LSG, Can it Be a Glimmer of Hope?
CSK’s recent five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) offered temporary relief to every fan. Now, they have finally broken their losing streak, thanks to vintage finishing from MS Dhoni (26 off 11 balls) and Shivam Dube (43). However, with only seven games left and a dismal NRR, their playoff chances hinge on near-perfect performances.
Though history shows comebacks are possible (RCB’s 2024 resurgence), let’s see if CSK could do the same or not. We wish that they could learn from their mistakes and come back stronger than ever. Let’s see how things unfold for them, Corporate Soldiers signs off!
