 "CSK have lost 7 out of their 9 matches thus far and are at the bottom of the points table. Image: AFP")
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are almost out of the IPL 2025 playoff race after losing 7 of their first 9 games. Their most recent defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 5 wickets on Friday dealt a massive blow to their campaign. But mathematically, MS Dhoni’s team still has a tiny chance of making it to the playoffs. Here’s how it can happen.
CSK must win all their remaining matches
The first and most important thing is CSK have to win all their last 5 matches. Their upcoming matches are against Punjab Kings (PBKS), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Gujarat Titans (GT). If CSK win all 5 games, they will finish with 14 points.
Usually, 14 points is not a guaranteed playoff spot, but some previous seasons have seen teams qualify with 14 points if other results go their way.
Other teams must lose key matches
Even if CSK win all their remaining games, they will need help from other teams. KKR and SRH must lose at least 2 to 3 more matches each. They are already struggling at the bottom half of the points table with CSK. PBKS and LSG must also lose most of their remaining matches.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians (MI) and RCB must not reach 16 points too quickly. In simple words, CSK will need a big mess in the mid-table where many teams finish with 14 points each. Then Net Run Rate (NRR) will decide who qualifies for the next stage and CSK might have a chance.
Improve their Net Run Rate (NRR)
Right now, CSK have a very bad NRR of -1.302, which is the worst in the league. Even if they win, they have to win big, by big margins, to improve their NRR. If multiple teams end up with 14 points, the team with a better NRR will go through to the playoffs. So small wins won’t be enough for CSK from here on. They need dominating performances to keep their hopes alive.
These upcoming matches will be very important for CSK’s playoff hopes:
PBKS vs KKR (26 April)
LSG vs MI (27 April)
RR vs GT (28 April)
DC vs KKR (29 April)
PBKS vs CSK (30 April)
If teams above CSK on the points table keep beating each other or some teams start losing badly, they can sneak into the top 4.