MS Dhoni did not play any game this season due to fitness issues, yet CSK chose not to name an injury replacement, impacting squad options.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are officially out of the IPL playoffs race after failing to win their last three games of the 2026 season. The franchise' inability to deliver after a major overhaul in the last mega auction has left fans and pundits to dissect a season that promised much but ultimately delivered a familiar sense of what-might-have-been. While injuries and squad depth have been blamed for the downfall, a glaring question mark hangs over the team's management of their biggest icon, MS Dhoni.

Dhoni did not play a single game this season. Fans hoped to see him in the CSK colours, in the final two games of the campaign at least, but he was deemed unfit. While Dhoni's availability remained a guessing game for fans and pundits, it seems like the management was aware of the limited possibility of his return to the team. Despite the fact that the 44-year-old never came close to taking the field, CSK chose not to name an injury replacement. In the end, it appeared that keeping the 'Dhoni mania' alive was more important to the franchise than securing a spot in the playoffs.

CSK's 'Limited Squad' Admission

Following the damaging defeat against SRH in CSK's final home game of the season, captain Ruturaj Gaikwad tried to find a silver lining despite admitting the squad's limitations.

"I think still, given the team that we had and limited squad and whatever best combinations we had, I'm still proud and I still feel we did well," Gaikwad said.

While Gaikwad's pride in his team's effort is understandable, the phrase "limited squad" raises eyebrows. Had CSK chosen to officially replace the sidelined Dhoni, they could have injected fresh talent into a dugout that desperately needed options.

The cracks in the CSK campaign were visible early on, and a lack of squad depth only amplified the impact of subsequent injuries. Speaking after the loss to the Gujarat Titans - the team's final game of the season -- Gaikwad detailed how the season unravelled after a difficult start.

The CSK Skipper had no qualms in admitting that injuries and absence of key players hurt the team. But, the question that arises again is why the franchise decided against naming a replacement for Dhoni?

"Well, tough season to start, especially the hat-trick of losses. And then after that, once we found that momentum, obviously we found guys playing at the right spot, the right combination, everything started working," Gaikwad explained. "And then obviously, a couple of injuries again and again. Didn't really help much, especially missing out Jamie and another all-rounder in Ramakrishna Ghosh, kind of unsettled our playing 12. We were always playing a batter short or playing a bowler short in whatever last three games we played."

Sentiment Over Strategy

Gaikwad's admission that CSK were forced to play the final three games of their season "a batter short" or "a bowler short" highlights the tactical error of carrying an unfit player. Dhoni never looked fit to play a single match this season, yet his spot in the squad remained untouched.

By prioritising nostalgia and brand value over practical squad management, CSK left themselves short-handed when the tournament reached its business end. In the ultra-competitive landscape of the IPL, sentiment rarely wins trophies - a lesson Chennai Super Kings have learned the hard way this year.