When Marco Jansen under-edged that pull shot behind the stumps—sending what would ultimately be the winning runs trickling away for the Punjab Kings—MS Dhoni, strapped in his faded, timeworn pads, flung himself to his left but couldn’t reach it. It was, in many ways, a fitting image for the Chennai Super Kings’ season: close, but not quite enough.
There was nothing on Dhoni’s face to betray that CSK had just been knocked out of the Playoffs race—the first time in their storied history that they’ve failed to qualify two years in a row. After the customary handshakes with the umpires and opposition batters, Dhoni turned, paused for a moment, and applauded his own team. It was a gesture that felt like part appreciation, part farewell. Behind him in line were Dewald Brevis, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sam Curran—in that order. The old guard and the new blood walking side by side: an almost poetic glimpse of the transition that lies ahead, reports Live Cricket Score.
Statistically, this has been CSK’s poorest campaign. But for a brief while on Wednesday (April 30), their batting finally came together. Sam Curran’s blistering 88 off 47 balls, featuring a sharp takedown of Azmatullah Omarzai and Suryansh Shedge, was a highlight. His 78-run stand with Brevis off 50 deliveries through the middle overs was exactly the kind of foundation CSK had sorely missed all season. And yet, their total of 190 fell short.
“It was the first time we had enough on the board,” Dhoni said during the post-match presentation. “But was it a par score? I feel it was slightly short. That partnership between Brevis and Sam was excellent. We also need to hold our catches—that really helps break momentum and take wickets. But as a batting unit, I thought it was a commendable effort.”
Dhoni reserved praise for Curran, who has had to grapple with unfavourable conditions throughout the tournament. “He’s always looking to contribute, bat or ball,” he said. “Unfortunately, most pitches we played on were slow, and that made it hard for him. But I think today’s pitch was one of the better ones at home this season. That’s why I felt we needed another 15 runs.”
CSK seemed set for a 200-plus score, one that could’ve truly tested PBKS on a black-soil surface being used for the third time. But Yuzvendra Chahal flipped the script with a stunning 19th over, snaring four wickets including Dhoni’s, and completing a hat-trick in the process.
“In high-scoring games, we didn’t play the last four balls,” Dhoni pointed out. “And in that second-last over, they got four of our batters in just three deliveries. That’s seven balls we didn’t get to face—and in tight games, that can be the difference.”
Bowling consultant Eric Simons reflected on the campaign with a sense of cautious satisfaction. “Overall, we were reasonably happy with how the bowling group performed,” he said. “But the key lies in precision and execution. We need to be more accurate—not just in skills, but in reading moments. Sometimes, a single tight over or even one clever delivery can change the game.”
“It’s about winning the big overs,” he added. “Sometimes, you’re just one ball away from tilting the match, and understanding how to manage those moments is where we can grow.”
Earlier in the week, batting coach Michael Hussey spoke about CSK’s focus on long-term rebuilding, particularly around talent identification and nurturing.
“One area we’ve highlighted is scouting and development,” Hussey said. “We’ve had players come in on trial runs—training with us before the auctions so we can see them up close. Videos help, but watching them live, under pressure, tells you far more.”
He highlighted the impact of practice matches and controlled environments to test young players before investing in them. “There’s so much talent in India. It’s about making smarter choices—not perfect ones, because you’ll still make mistakes—but better-informed ones that serve the franchise long-term.”
Since Dewald Brevis’s inclusion against Sunrisers Hyderabad, there’s been a noticeable shift in CSK’s batting approach. That mindset was on full display in his stand with Curran against PBKS, as well as in the fearless starts provided by Ayush Mhatre and Shaik Rasheed. As the second-youngest opening pair in IPL history, they’ve brought a raw, untamed energy that’s been refreshing.
“The way we batted in the SRH match, it felt more like the CSK we want to be,” Hussey noted. “There was real intent—positive, proactive, and smart. Earlier in the season, we looked like we were playing with fear, trying not to fail. That’s not how you succeed in this league.”
Still, the gap between vision and execution was clear. And perhaps that’s why, when Dhoni was asked at the toss whether the thunderous crowd reaction meant he’d return next season, he just smiled and said, “I don’t know,” before quickly adding, “I am coming for the next game!”
Maybe that game will be his last. Maybe it won’t. But the sight of him—aged pads, quiet resolve, standing amidst a team in transition—felt like the end of an era. And yet, even as the curtain seemed to fall, there was the unmistakable sense that CSK are getting ready for the next act, with a cast already stepping into the spotlight.
