Chennai Super Kings have established themselves as one of the most successful franchises in IPL history, holding a joint record of five titles in their cabinet. Their consistent performances on the field and a record 10 appearances in the IPL final highlight their dominance in a highly competitive league. Much of their sustained success can be attributed to the ownership group, which has consistently maintained a balanced squad and backed players over the years, showing faith in their talent and ability.
CSK are known for retaining their core group of players for long periods, only parting ways when a player reaches the twilight of their career. This approach has helped the team build stability, experience, and a winning culture, allowing them to compete at the highest level season after season. They have shown remarkable consistency not just on the field but also off it, with Stephen Fleming serving as their head coach since 2009. His long-term guidance has been key in building a stable, experienced team, helping CSK maintain a winning culture and remain one of the most dominant IPL franchises.
Former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund praised CSK’s management for their unwavering support of players. He spoke about the team’s tradition of doubling any BCCI prize money, whether they won or lost, a practice that has been in place since the franchise’s early days. He added that such gestures had a significant impact on the players.
“I think the credit should also go to the management. That time, they clearly told us that whatever prize money BCCI is offering you, whether we are losing or winning, we will double it. And this is a tradition of Chennai from day one. Ask any clear Chennai player, they will say ‘this is a tradition that they have followed’, so at that point it felt like a huge thing,” Mukund said on Doordarshan Sports.
CSK start IPL 2026 on the wrong note
Meanwhile, CSK have struggled in recent seasons, failing to make the playoffs in IPL 2024 and 2025, and even finishing at the bottom of the table last year. Their challenges continued into the current campaign, as they stumbled out of the gate with a heavy defeat against Rajasthan Royals. The team was bowled out for just 127, and the Royals chased the target comfortably, winning by eight wickets with more than seven overs to spare, signalling that CSK have some serious work to do.
