All hope is not lost for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) despite their recent five-wicket defeat at the hands of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on April 25 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The five-time champions still have a slim, but very real, chance of reaching the IPL 2025 playoffs — provided they bring their A-game (and maybe a lucky charm or two) in the coming weeks.
After their loss to SRH, it became clear that CSK cannot directly qualify for the playoffs. The path forward is now more like climbing Mount Everest in flip-flops: possible, but extremely tricky. MS Dhoni and his squad must win all their remaining five league-stage matches to even think about securing a top-four finish. Even then, nothing is set in stone, as qualification would depend not only on their own performances but also on how other teams fare.
Should CSK manage to win all their final matches, they would finish the league stage with 14 points. For context, in IPL 2024, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) snuck into the playoffs with 14 points, edging out CSK, Delhi Capitals (DC), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) based on a superior net run rate. That marked the first time in a 10-team season that 14 points were enough for qualification — offering CSK a glimmer of hope. However, the catch? CSK’s current net run rate sits at an abysmal -1.302 — the worst among all teams — and that desperately needs fixing.
As far as form goes, CSK have been struggling to find their rhythm this season. After a promising opening win against Mumbai Indians (MI) at Chepauk, the wheels seemed to fall off. They endured a painful four-match losing streak before finally registering a morale-boosting five-wicket win over the Super Giants in Lucknow. However, the loss to SRH sent them tumbling to the bottom of the points table with just four points.
The road ahead isn’t getting any smoother. CSK will next lock horns with Punjab Kings (PBKS) on April 30 at Chepauk, and from there, every match will be a do-or-die battle. If ever there was a time for “Thala” Dhoni magic, it’s now.
Stay tuned to India Today for all the latest on IPL 2025: match schedules, team squads, live scores, points tables, and updates on the Orange Cap and Purple Cap races. Whether you’re backing CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, or the underdogs, every game from here on is poised to be pure cricketing drama!
