Finally, Chepauk Has Fallen, Dhoni IPL Era Ends!

 Finally, Chepauk Has Fallen, Dhoni IPL Era Ends!

The Dhoni IPL Era Comes to an End, Chepauk Has Finally Fallen!

The dream is officially over now. After suffering yet another heartbreaking defeat, this time to Sunrisers Hyderabad at Chepauk, the five-time champion Chennai Super Kings are all but eliminated from the IPL 2025 playoff race.


Perhaps the last nail in the coffin for a campaign that never really took off was a 5-wicket loss in front of the home crowd.

The belief and hope persisted because it is what CSK supporters do. Even the most hopeful of us, however, have to concede that after nine games and only two victories, this year simply wasn't ours.

Still, in classic CSK spirit, we say it with a smile — we need tissues… but only to clean the trophies. Each of the five.

They continue to shine brightly, serving as a constant reminder that a legacy is not created in a single season. Chennai, keep your chin up. We weren't for this one. However, kings still hold that crown.

A CHEPAUK HAS SLIPPERED.

It was a stronghold for years, unbreakable, noisy, and yellow. But the most brutal rewriting of history occurred in 2025. Chennai's 17-year drought was ended by RCB.

A 15-year wait was ended by the Delhi Capitals. And in what may have been the most devastating blow, Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated CSK at Chepauk for the first time ever.

This was the clearest indication yet that the tides had indeed flipped this season.

Everything that has gone wrong for CSK this season was reflected in the match itself. The innings fell apart rapidly after their dismissals, despite some strong batting performances from Dewald Brevis (a brisk 42 off 25) and Ayush Mhatre (a sharp 30 off 19).

We were stunned by Harshal Patel's four-wicket burst through the middle order.

Even though the bowlers made an effort, Kamindu Mendis and Nitish Reddy gently dashed any dreams of SRH winning the chase by stitching together a 49-run unbroken partnership.

The process by which we arrived, however, was more painful than the outcome. It was puzzling that Deepak Hooda was chosen over Vanshi Bedi. Another persistent problem has been Shivam Dube's shape.

Our strong batter, who used to be able to win games with a few balls, suddenly appears uncoordinated and uncertain. Nevertheless, the team continued to wait for the return of the former Dube in game after game. Matheesha Pathirana has also been a shadow of the person he used to be.

Pressure overs became release valves as a result of his uncontrollable wides. CSK continued to support him in spite of this, whereas Nathan Ellis seldom received any attention.

We had the opportunity to try something different, but we chose to stick with what wasn't functioning. Even one of our most dependable players, Ravindra Jadeja, hasn't performed well at the batting end.

His cameos, which used to frequently define matches, are no longer there. Additionally, it adds up—and not in your favor—when your bowling lacks bite, your middle order is unstable, and your finishers fail to finish.

Despite the disappointment, there are things to be happy about. We saw hints of the future this season. For someone so young, Ayush Mhatre's poise and strokeplay are uncommon.

On the big stage, Dewald Brevis proved he belonged. With the ball, Noor Ahmad has his moments of brilliance. Khaleel Ahmed's gaming became more intense. And Anshul Kamboj, raw as he is, gave us moments that hint at something special down the line.

If not for this season’s results, then for these names alone, IPL 2025 will be remembered as a turning point.