It’s the end of the road for Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. The five-time champions, once synonymous with consistency and dominance, became the first team to be officially eliminated from the playoffs after succumbing to a crushing four-wicket defeat at home against the Punjab Kings on Wednesday, April 30.

Sam Curran’s heroics not enough as CSK faces elimination

Despite posting a competitive total of 190, CSK’s brittle bowling attack failed to defend the score, allowing Punjab to chase it down in 19.4 overs at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium. CSK’s only bright spot came in the form of Sam Curran’s blistering 88 off just 47 balls. The England all-rounder arrived at the crease with the team struggling at 38/3 and produced one of the finest knocks of the season, peppered with aggressive strokeplay and fearless counterattack. His effort, however, proved in vain as no other batter stayed long enough to support him.

The early dismissals of openers Shaik Rasheed and Ayush mhatrefollowed by Ravindra Jadaja’s tame outing at No. 4, left CSK reeling. Curran’s resistance helped them cross 180, but Chahal’s over-erase erased their momentum. On the other hand, CSK’s bowling unit once again lacked penetration and discipline. Apart from Khaleel Ahmed’s early wicket, the attack looked toothless. Matheesha pathiranaexpected to be the X-factor, was a shadow of his past self, leaking 45 runs in four overs and failing to provide breakthroughs when needed most. The absence of strategic clarity and the fading Dhoni aura meant that CSK couldn’t capitalize even on favourable conditions, minimal dew, decent pitch, and home support.

Yuzvendra Chahal’s hat-trick and PBKS’ clinical chase led by Shreyas Iyer

While CSK’s elimination made headlines, the match itself belonged to Chahal and Punjab. Chahal’s stunning 19th over proved to be the ultimate turning point. The leg-spinner claimed four wickets in an over, including a hat-trick, starting with the dismissal of Ms Dona himself. He then sent back Deepak Hooda, anshul kamboj and Noor Ahmedlimiting CSK to 190 all out in 19.2 overs, despite their promising position at 182/5.

That clinical bowling effort set up the perfect chase for Punjab. The duo of Shreyas Iyer and Prabhsimran Singh led from the front. After the early dismissal of Priyansh Aryathe pair stitched together a commanding 72-run stand that took the sting out of CSK’s bowling. Prabhsimran continued his consistent run in the tournament with a fluent 54 off 36 balls, providing momentum in the middle overs. But it was Shreyas Iyer’s classy 72 off 41 deliveries, laced with four sixes and five boundaries, that held the innings together. He paced his knock expertly, taking calculated risks and anchoring the chase till the 19th over.

Even after Prabhsimran’s dismissal, the incoming Shashank Singh (23 off 12) ensured Punjab maintained the tempo, adding two crucial sixes that kept the pressure on CSK’s bowlers. Despite a few late wickets, the outcome was never truly in doubt, leaving the packed Chepauk crowd disappointed.

Chepauk no longer a fortress for Chennai Super Kings

The once-formidable Chepauk has turned into a graveyard for CSK’s hopes. This latest loss marked their fifth defeat at home in the ongoing season, an unthinkable statistic for a side that prided itself on its near-invincibility on this ground. From being a feared opponent in Chennai, CSK have stumbled to the bottom of the table, managing just two wins in ten matches, making this their most underwhelming season since the disastrous 2020 and 2022 campaigns.

The team’s downward trajectory has been both steep and relentless. After missing out on the playoffs in 2020 and finishing ninth in 2022, their IPL 2025 journey has plummeted even further. Ms Dona 's return to captaincy, after Travel Giikwad was ruled out due to an elbow injury, did little to reverse fortunes. The 43-year-old legend, who handed over leadership to Gaikwad ahead of IPL 2024, once again stepped up, but the team failed to rally around him. Dhoni’s legacy, of course, remains untouched: five IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) and two Champions League T20 trophies make him one of the most decorated leaders in the tournament’s history. Yet, this season marks perhaps the most humbling chapter of CSK’s storied journey.

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