Chennai Super Kings were heavily favored to reach the IPL 2024 playoffs at the expense of Royal Challengers Bengaluru ahead of their crucial clash on Saturday, which served as a virtual knockout. Despite RCB setting a daunting target of 218/5 and reducing CSK to 129/6, MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja staged a remarkable fightback to bring their team within reach of a top-four finish. However, a superb final over from Yash Dayal ultimately shattered their hopes.

Dhoni was dismissed in the final over, right after hitting the left-arm pacer for a massive six, narrowly missing out on what would have been another legendary chase from ‘Captain Cool’. CSK finished fifth on the points table, missing the playoffs for only the third time in IPL history. It was a mixed debut season as captain for Ruturaj Gaikwad, who took over from Dhoni just before the tournament opener against the same team that eventually knocked them out nearly two months later.

CSK began the season with two consecutive wins but then faced two losses in their next fixtures. Their campaign was marked by a see-saw performance, balancing wins and losses throughout the league stage. Despite the inconsistency, they managed to stay in or close to the top four, aided by a positive Net Run Rate.

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Lack of a solid opening pair in Conway’s absence

Gaikwad and Devon Conway had formed a formidable opening pair, significantly contributing to CSK’s success last season. However, this season, Conway was sidelined for the entire 17th season due to a thumb injury, despite initial hopes that he would rejoin the squad midway through the tournament. His absence led to the inclusion of England seamer Richard Gleeson as his replacement.

Although CSK secured Rachin Ravindra after a fierce bidding war in the auction, the young Kiwi batter couldn’t quite fill the void left by Conway. Ravindra’s maiden IPL season saw him amass 222 runs at an average of 22.20, with only one half-century to his name. CSK experimented with various opening combinations throughout the season, starting with Gaikwad and Ravindra, but later introducing Ajinkya Rahane into the mix.

At times, Rahane opened with Ravindra, pushing Gaikwad down the order. In other instances, Rahane opened alongside Gaikwad, while Ravindra was benched, and Daryl Mitchell was brought in at No. 3. This constant shuffling meant that CSK’s top-order, especially the opening pair, never truly settled. This instability was a significant factor in their inconsistent performances throughout the season.

Shivam Dube losing form at crucial phase

Seam-bowling all-rounder Shivam Dube had been in explosive form during the T20I series against Afghanistan earlier this year and carried that momentum into the first half of the IPL season. Although CSK did not utilize him much as a bowler, his match-winning performances with the bat were crucial. His impressive run ultimately earned him a spot in India’s T20 World Cup squad.

However, like several other World Cup-bound Indian players, Dube’s form inexplicably dipped right after the BCCI’s announcement. Prior to the squad announcement, Dube had amassed 347 runs in nine matches at an average of 57.83 and a strike rate of 170.93.

After being named in the World Cup squad, his performance dramatically declined. In his subsequent five matches, he managed just 46 runs at an average of 9.2, with his strike rate plummeting to 112.19. This poor run included back-to-back golden ducks and a disappointing knock of 7 off 15 balls against RCB in a crucial match. Dube’s slump in form came at the worst possible time for CSK, as his contributions with the bat were sorely missed when the team needed them the most.