Chennai Super Kings are staring down the barrel of a fourth straight home defeat in IPL 2025, a skid that’s got the five-time champions looking more like underdogs than titans. Tonight, April 25, they square off against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, a venue where the yellow army’s roar has been drowned out by a string of crushing losses. The team’s desperation to turn the tide is palpable, with the weight of history and a restless fanbase bearing down.
The Super Kings’ woes kicked off early this season. On March 29, Royal Challengers Bengaluru stormed Chepauk, chasing down 174 with a clinical display that exposed CSK’s shaky middle order. Rajasthan Royals followed on April 2, outmuscling the hosts by 12 runs in a high-scoring thriller. Delhi Capitals piled on the misery on April 5, capitalizing on CSK’s sloppy fielding to seal a 20-run victory. Then, on April 11, Kolkata Knight Riders delivered the gut punch: CSK crumbled to a measly 103 for 9—their lowest IPL total at home—before KKR chased it in just 10.1 overs. For a franchise that’s only finished below fourth place three times in 15 seasons, this is uncharted territory.
Tonight’s matchup against Sunrisers, who’ve never won at Chepauk against CSK, offers a glimmer of hope. But the numbers don’t lie: CSK’s batting has been a mess. Their powerplay scores rank among the season’s worst, with a measly 31 for 2 against KKR and 30 for 3 against RCB. Dropped catches—five in their loss to Punjab Kings on April 8—have bled runs and momentum. Coach Stephen Fleming didn’t mince words after that defeat, slamming the team’s fielding as “sloppy” and admitting the game slipped away on the grass, not the scoreboard.
MS Dhoni, back as captain after Ruturaj Gaikwad’s season-ending elbow injury, is under the spotlight. The 43-year-old, who led CSK to five titles, has struggled with the bat, scraping just 1 run against KKR. His tactical nous, though, remains a weapon. On April 14, he and Shivam Dube engineered a gritty five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants, chasing 167 with a 57-run stand. Dube’s unbeaten 43 and Dhoni’s quickfire 26 off 11 balls showed the fight CSK needs tonight. But that was on the road—home is where the hurt keeps coming.
Sunrisers, meanwhile, are no pushovers. Their bowling attack, led by Pat Cummins, has been stingy, and their batsmen have firepower to exploit CSK’s fragile fielding. At the toss, SRH opted to bowl, banking on dew to make chasing easier. By the ninth over, CSK were limping at 74 for 4, with Dewald Brevis and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease. The live forecast pegs CSK’s projected total at 174—a defendable score, but only if their bowlers, like Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed, find the zip that dismantled Mumbai Indians on March 23.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. A loss tonight would mark CSK’s first-ever four-game home losing streak in IPL history, a stat that stings for a team owned by India Cements and backed by a fanbase that’s packed Chepauk since 2008. The franchise, bought for $91 million at the IPL’s dawn, has reached the playoffs 12 times and won two Champions League T20 titles. But right now, they’re ninth on the points table, with just two wins from seven games.
As the match unfolds, every run, catch, and decision will carry the weight of a season slipping away. CSK’s lions—Dhoni, Jadeja, and a battered lineup—need to roar, or Chepauk’s fortress will feel more like a graveyard.