Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) bad run in IPL 2025 is not going to stop. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) defeated CSK by 5 wickets at Chepauk, which is their first defeat against Hyderabad on their home ground. CSK is at the bottom of the points table after losing 7 out of 9 matches, with only 4 points. Fans feel that CSK is out of the playoff race, but mathematically there is still a chance. CSK captain MS Dhoni said, “We have to win the remaining matches at all costs.”

CSK can reach 14 points by winning their remaining 5 matches to make it to the playoffs, but even that will not be enough. Last season, Royal Challengers Bangalore made it to the playoffs with 14 points thanks to a better net run rate. CSK’s current net run rate (-1.302) is the worst, which is their biggest challenge to improve. Cricket analyst Sanjay Manjrekar said, “CSK not only needs to win, but also improve the run rate by winning by a big margin.” Apart from this, they will also have to depend on the performance of other teams.

Chennai’s performance has been disappointing this season. After the initial victory, the team has suffered five consecutive defeats. The batting unit failed completely, where the openers failed to give a quick start and the middle order collapsed. The bowlers also crumbled under pressure. Dhoni’s bat also remained silent, which disappointed the fans. Now every match is a do or die situation for CSK. Will Dhoni be able to rescue his team from this crisis? It remains to be seen.