Updated October 2026 | All stats are as of the end of IPL 2026 (final played 31 May 2026).
Chennai Super Kings IPL History: Chennai Super Kings have played 268 IPL matches since 2008, winning 148, losing 117 and with 3 no results, a win rate of 55.8% in matches with a result. They have won 5 IPL titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023), reached 10 finals and made the playoffs in 12 of their 17 seasons. This page covers the full history of the franchise: how it was formed, every season’s finish, the great teams and the bad ones, the record against every opponent, the home ground, the all-time leading players and the biggest signings.
For every IPL rivalry, start at our IPL head to head records hub. For every season’s champion, see the IPL winners list.
Franchise Origin, Ownership and Identity
Chennai Super Kings were one of the eight franchises created for the first IPL season in 2008. The team was bought at the original franchise auction for 91 million US dollars by India Cements, the company then run by N Srinivasan, and is now owned by Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd, a company that was spun out of India Cements. The yellow shirt, the lion on the badge and the ‘Whistle Podu’ chant became the club’s identity, and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, signed in the first player auction in 2008, became its face for nearly two decades. Stephen Fleming, who played for the franchise in its first season, became head coach in 2009 and has stayed in the role since, an unusual level of stability in a league where coaches often change every two or three seasons.
CSK did not play in 2016 and 2017. The franchise was suspended for two seasons, along with Rajasthan Royals, after a Supreme Court-appointed committee ruled on the 2013 betting case involving a team official. The players were redistributed to two temporary teams, Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions, and Dhoni captained Pune in 2016. CSK came back in 2018 and won the title in their first season back, which says a lot about how the club is run.
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2008 (one of the original eight franchises) |
| City | Chennai |
| Home ground | MA Chidambaram Stadium |
| IPL titles | 5 (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023) |
| Finals played | 10 |
| Playoff appearances | 12 |
| All-time record | P 268, W 148, L 117, NR 3 |
Title History and Finals Record
| Season | Opponent | Result | Margin | Venue | Player of the final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Rajasthan Royals | Lost | RR by 3 wickets | Dr DY Patil Sports Academy | Yusuf Pathan |
| 2010 | Mumbai Indians | Won | CSK by 22 runs | Dr DY Patil Sports Academy | Suresh Raina |
| 2011 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won | CSK by 58 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) | Murali Vijay |
| 2012 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Lost | KKR by 5 wickets | MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) | Manvinder Bisla |
| 2013 | Mumbai Indians | Lost | MI by 23 runs | Eden Gardens | Kieron Pollard |
| 2015 | Mumbai Indians | Lost | MI by 41 runs | Eden Gardens | Rohit Sharma |
| 2018 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won | CSK by 8 wickets | Wankhede Stadium | Shane Watson |
| 2019 | Mumbai Indians | Lost | MI by 1 run | Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium | Jasprit Bumrah |
| 2021 | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won | CSK by 27 runs | Dubai International Cricket Stadium | Faf du Plessis |
| 2023 | Gujarat Titans | Won | CSK by 5 wickets (DLS) | Narendra Modi Stadium | Devon Conway |
Chennai Super Kings have won 5 of their 10 finals. They lost the final in 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019.
1 Jun 2008, Dr DY Patil Sports Academy (Final): CSK batted first and made 163/5, led by Suresh Raina 43 (30), with Yusuf Pathan 3/22 the pick of the RR bowlers. RR replied with 164/7, Yusuf Pathan 56 (39) top-scoring as Albie Morkel 2/25 did the damage for CSK. RR won by 3 wickets. Player of the match: Yusuf Pathan.
25 Apr 2010, Dr DY Patil Sports Academy (Final): CSK batted first and made 168/5, led by Suresh Raina 57* (35), with Dilhara Fernando 2/23 the pick of the MI bowlers. MI replied with 146/9, Sachin Tendulkar 48 (45) top-scoring as Shadab Jakati 2/26 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 22 runs. Player of the match: Suresh Raina.
28 May 2011, MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) (Final): CSK batted first and made 205/5, led by Murali Vijay 95 (52), with Chris Gayle 2/34 the pick of the RCB bowlers. RCB replied with 147/8, Saurabh Tiwary 42* (34) top-scoring as Ravichandran Ashwin 3/16 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 58 runs. Player of the match: Murali Vijay.
27 May 2012, MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) (Final): CSK batted first and made 190/3, led by Suresh Raina 73 (38). KKR replied with 192/5, Manvinder Bisla 89 (48) top-scoring as Ben Hilfenhaus 2/25 did the damage for CSK. KKR won by 5 wickets. Player of the match: Manvinder Bisla.
26 May 2013, Eden Gardens (Final): MI batted first and made 148/9, led by Kieron Pollard 60* (32), with Dwayne Bravo 4/42 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 125/9, MS Dhoni 63* (45) top-scoring as Harbhajan Singh 2/14 did the damage for MI. MI won by 23 runs. Player of the match: Kieron Pollard.
24 May 2015, Eden Gardens (Final): MI batted first and made 202/5, led by Lendl Simmons 68 (45), with Dwayne Bravo 2/36 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 161/8, Dwayne Smith 57 (48) top-scoring as Mitchell McClenaghan 3/25 did the damage for MI. MI won by 41 runs. Player of the match: Rohit Sharma.
27 May 2018, Wankhede Stadium (Final): SRH batted first and made 178/6, led by Kane Williamson 47 (36). CSK replied with 181/2, Shane Watson 117* (57) top-scoring. CSK won by 8 wickets. Player of the match: Shane Watson.
12 May 2019, Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium (Final): MI batted first and made 149/8, led by Kieron Pollard 41* (25), with Deepak Chahar 3/26 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 148/7, Shane Watson 80 (59) top-scoring as Jasprit Bumrah 2/14 did the damage for MI. MI won by 1 run. Player of the match: Jasprit Bumrah.
15 Oct 2021, Dubai International Cricket Stadium (Final): CSK batted first and made 192/3, led by Faf du Plessis 86 (59), with Sunil Narine 2/26 the pick of the KKR bowlers. KKR replied with 165/9, Shubman Gill 51 (43) top-scoring as Shardul Thakur 3/38 did the damage for CSK. CSK won by 27 runs. Player of the match: Faf du Plessis.
29 May 2023, Narendra Modi Stadium (Final): GT batted first and made 214/4, led by Sai Sudharsan 96 (47), with Matheesha Pathirana 2/44 the pick of the CSK bowlers. CSK replied with 171/5, Devon Conway 47 (25) top-scoring as Mohit Sharma 3/36 did the damage for GT. CSK won by 5 wickets (DLS). Player of the match: Devon Conway.
Chennai Super Kings IPL History: Season-by-Season Finishing Positions
| Season | Played as | League position | Pts | Final finish | P | W | L | NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Chennai Super Kings | 3rd of 8 | 16 | Runners-up | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 2009 | Chennai Super Kings | 2nd of 8 | 17 | Lost semi-final | 15 | 8 | 6 | 1 |
| 2010 | Chennai Super Kings | 3rd of 8 | 14 | Champions | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| 2011 | Chennai Super Kings | 2nd of 10 | 18 | Champions | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| 2012 | Chennai Super Kings | 4th of 9 | 17 | Runners-up | 19 | 10 | 8 | 1 |
| 2013 | Chennai Super Kings | 1st of 9 | 22 | Runners-up | 18 | 12 | 6 | 0 |
| 2014 | Chennai Super Kings | 3rd of 8 | 18 | Lost Qualifier 2 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| 2015 | Chennai Super Kings | 1st of 8 | 18 | Runners-up | 17 | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| 2018 | Chennai Super Kings | 2nd of 8 | 18 | Champions | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| 2019 | Chennai Super Kings | 2nd of 8 | 18 | Runners-up | 17 | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| 2020 | Chennai Super Kings | 7th of 8 | 12 | League stage | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
| 2021 | Chennai Super Kings | 2nd of 8 | 18 | Champions | 16 | 11 | 5 | 0 |
| 2022 | Chennai Super Kings | 9th of 10 | 8 | League stage | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 2023 | Chennai Super Kings | 2nd of 10 | 17 | Champions | 16 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| 2024 | Chennai Super Kings | 5th of 10 | 14 | League stage | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 2025 | Chennai Super Kings | 10th of 10 | 8 | League stage | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 |
| 2026 | Chennai Super Kings | 8th of 10 | 12 | League stage | 14 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
League position is the team’s place in the points table at the end of the league stage, before the playoffs, ranked by points and then net run rate. ‘Final finish’ shows how far the team went in the playoffs. P, W, L and NR include playoff matches. Tied matches are counted as wins for the team that won the Super Over.
The best season by win rate was 2011, with 11 wins from 16 matches. The worst was 2022, with 4 wins from 14.
The Golden Era and the Lean Years
The golden era
Two long golden eras stand out. From 2008 to 2015 Chennai reached the playoffs in all eight seasons and played in six finals, winning in 2010 and 2011. They were the first team to defend the title. Then, after the two-year suspension, they won in 2018, 2021 and 2023. Five titles in total puts them level with Mumbai Indians at the top of the all-time list. The common thread was a settled core: Dhoni as captain, Suresh Raina at number three, Ravindra Jadeja from 2012, Dwayne Bravo at the death, and an auction policy that trusted experienced players others thought were past their best.
The lean years
The lean years are recent. In 2020, in the UAE, Chennai missed the playoffs for the first time in their history, finishing seventh. In 2022 they finished ninth, a season in which Jadeja began as captain before handing the job back to Dhoni. Since winning in 2023, the franchise has struggled to rebuild: fifth in 2024, last in 2025 (their first wooden spoon), and eighth in 2026, with Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain. The question for the next few seasons is whether Chennai can build a new core as strong as the one that made them the most consistent team of the league’s first fifteen years.
Record Against Every Other Franchise
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | NR | Win % | First | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mumbai Indians | 41 | 20 | 21 | 0 | 48.8% | 23 Apr 2008 | 2 May 2026 |
| Punjab Kings | 33 | 16 | 17 | 0 | 48.5% | 19 Apr 2008 | 3 Apr 2026 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 36 | 21 | 14 | 1 | 60.0% | 28 Apr 2008 | 5 Apr 2026 |
| Delhi Capitals | 33 | 21 | 12 | 0 | 63.6% | 2 May 2008 | 5 May 2026 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 33 | 21 | 11 | 1 | 65.6% | 26 Apr 2008 | 14 Apr 2026 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 32 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 50.0% | 4 May 2008 | 30 Mar 2026 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 24 | 15 | 9 | 0 | 62.5% | 25 Apr 2013 | 18 May 2026 |
| Gujarat Titans | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 40.0% | 17 Apr 2022 | 21 May 2026 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 8 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 42.9% | 31 Mar 2022 | 15 May 2026 |
Chennai Super Kings’s most one-sided rivalry is against Kolkata Knight Riders: 21 wins and 11 defeats in 33 matches. The toughest opponent has been Gujarat Titans, with 4 wins and 6 defeats. Records include each opponent’s earlier names (Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils, Royal Challengers Bangalore). Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants joined in 2022, so those rivalries are shorter. Each opponent name links to the full head-to-head page where it is published.
Against former franchises
| Opponent | Played | Won | Lost | NR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deccan Chargers | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 |
| Pune Warriors | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 |
| Kochi Tuskers Kerala | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Home Ground and Home Record
Chennai Super Kings play their home matches at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. They have played 84 IPL matches there, winning 55, losing 29 and with 0 no results: a win rate of 65.5%. Away from home, including neutral venues and the seasons played in South Africa (2009) and the UAE (2014 in part, 2020 and 2021 in part), their record is 93 wins and 88 defeats from 184 matches (51.4%).
| Season | Home matches | Won | Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| 2010 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
| 2011 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| 2012 | 10 | 6 | 4 |
| 2013 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 2015 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 8 | 6 | 2 |
| 2023 | 8 | 5 | 3 |
| 2024 | 7 | 5 | 2 |
| 2025 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| 2026 | 7 | 4 | 3 |
The highest total Chennai Super Kings have made at home is 246, against RR on 3 Apr 2010. Seasons with no home matches are the ones played away from India or in a bubble: 2009 in South Africa, 2020 in the UAE and 2021, when the league was split between India and the UAE and teams did not play at their own grounds.
All-Time Leading Run Scorers and Wicket Takers
Top 10 run scorers
| Rank | Player | Matches | Runs | Avg | SR | 100s | 50s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MS Dhoni | 248 | 4865 | 39.23 | 139.12 | 0 | 22 | 234 |
| 2 | Suresh Raina | 176 | 4687 | 32.32 | 136.89 | 1 | 33 | 180 |
| 3 | Ruturaj Gaikwad | 85 | 2839 | 38.36 | 135.64 | 2 | 22 | 107 |
| 4 | Faf du Plessis | 92 | 2721 | 35.34 | 131.45 | 0 | 20 | 87 |
| 5 | Ravindra Jadeja | 186 | 2198 | 28.55 | 136.10 | 0 | 5 | 83 |
| 6 | Ambati Rayudu | 90 | 1932 | 29.72 | 129.32 | 1 | 8 | 94 |
| 7 | Mike Hussey | 50 | 1768 | 42.10 | 123.64 | 1 | 13 | 45 |
| 8 | Shivam Dube | 68 | 1730 | 34.60 | 152.69 | 0 | 9 | 115 |
| 9 | Murali Vijay | 70 | 1708 | 25.88 | 125.13 | 2 | 7 | 68 |
| 10 | Subramaniam Badrinath | 95 | 1441 | 30.66 | 118.89 | 0 | 11 | 28 |
MS Dhoni is the franchise’s leading run scorer with 4865 runs in 248 matches, 178 more than Suresh Raina. Figures count only matches played for Chennai Super Kings.
Top 10 wicket takers
| Rank | Player | Matches | Wickets | Avg | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ravindra Jadeja | 186 | 143 | 28.33 | 7.64 |
| 2 | Dwayne Bravo | 116 | 140 | 22.48 | 8.37 |
| 3 | Ravichandran Ashwin | 106 | 97 | 25.39 | 6.68 |
| 4 | Albie Morkel | 78 | 76 | 27.08 | 8.10 |
| 5 | Deepak Chahar | 76 | 76 | 27.71 | 7.91 |
| 6 | Shardul Thakur | 57 | 60 | 30.38 | 9.09 |
| 7 | Mohit Sharma | 48 | 58 | 22.17 | 7.82 |
| 8 | Matheesha Pathirana | 32 | 47 | 21.62 | 8.68 |
| 9 | Shadab Jakati | 50 | 45 | 26.22 | 7.75 |
| 10 | Muttiah Muralitharan | 40 | 40 | 24.85 | 6.37 |
Ravindra Jadeja has taken the most wickets for the franchise, 143. Most capped: MS Dhoni (248), Ravindra Jadeja (186), Suresh Raina (176), Dwayne Bravo (116), Ravichandran Ashwin (106).
Playoff Record and Biggest Results
Chennai Super Kings have played 26 playoff and knockout matches, winning 17 and losing 9. The table lists every one, from the semi-finals of 2008-2010 to the Qualifiers, Eliminators and finals since 2011.
| Season | Stage | Opponent | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Semi Final | Kings XI Punjab | Won | 9 wickets |
| 2008 | Final | Rajasthan Royals | Lost | 3 wickets |
| 2009 | Semi Final | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Lost | 6 wickets |
| 2010 | Semi Final | Deccan Chargers | Won | 38 runs |
| 2010 | Final | Mumbai Indians | Won | 22 runs |
| 2011 | Qualifier 1 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won | 6 wickets |
| 2011 | Final | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won | 58 runs |
| 2012 | Elimination Final | Mumbai Indians | Won | 38 runs |
| 2012 | Qualifier 2 | Delhi Daredevils | Won | 86 runs |
| 2012 | Final | Kolkata Knight Riders | Lost | 5 wickets |
| 2013 | Qualifier 1 | Mumbai Indians | Won | 48 runs |
| 2013 | Final | Mumbai Indians | Lost | 23 runs |
| 2014 | Eliminator | Mumbai Indians | Won | 7 wickets |
| 2014 | Qualifier 2 | Kings XI Punjab | Lost | 24 runs |
| 2015 | Qualifier 1 | Mumbai Indians | Lost | 25 runs |
| 2015 | Qualifier 2 | Royal Challengers Bangalore | Won | 3 wickets |
| 2015 | Final | Mumbai Indians | Lost | 41 runs |
| 2018 | Qualifier 1 | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won | 2 wickets |
| 2018 | Final | Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won | 8 wickets |
| 2019 | Qualifier 1 | Mumbai Indians | Lost | 6 wickets |
| 2019 | Qualifier 2 | Delhi Capitals | Won | 6 wickets |
| 2019 | Final | Mumbai Indians | Lost | 1 run |
| 2021 | Qualifier 1 | Delhi Capitals | Won | 4 wickets |
| 2021 | Final | Kolkata Knight Riders | Won | 27 runs |
| 2023 | Qualifier 1 | Gujarat Titans | Won | 15 runs |
| 2023 | Final | Gujarat Titans | Won | 5 wickets (DLS) |
Biggest wins by runs
| Date | Opponent | Margin | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Apr 2026 | MI | 103 runs | Wankhede Stadium |
| 25 Apr 2015 | PBKS | 97 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) |
| 21 Apr 2014 | DC | 93 runs | Sheikh Zayed Stadium |
| 20 Apr 2009 | RCB | 92 runs | St George’s Park |
| 8 May 2022 | DC | 91 runs | Dr DY Patil Sports Academy |
Heaviest defeats by runs
| Date | Opponent | Margin | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 May 2026 | GT | 89 runs | Narendra Modi Stadium |
| 5 May 2013 | MI | 60 runs | Wankhede Stadium |
| 3 Apr 2022 | PBKS | 54 runs | Brabourne Stadium |
| 28 Mar 2025 | RCB | 50 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) |
| 26 Apr 2019 | MI | 46 runs | MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk) |
Highest and lowest totals
| Type | Total | Opponent | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest | 246/5 | RR | 2010 |
| Highest | 240/5 | PBKS | 2008 |
| Highest | 235/4 | KKR | 2023 |
| Highest | 230/5 | GT | 2025 |
| Highest | 226/6 | RCB | 2023 |
| Lowest (all out) | 79 | MI | 2013 |
| Lowest (all out) | 97 | MI | 2022 |
| Lowest (all out) | 109 | RR | 2008 |
Most player of the match awards for the franchise
| Player | Awards |
|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 16 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 16 |
| Suresh Raina | 12 |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | 11 |
| Mike Hussey | 10 |
| Faf du Plessis | 6 |
| Shane Watson | 6 |
| Murali Vijay | 5 |
The franchise’s record win by runs is 103 runs against MI in 2026, and its heaviest defeat 89 runs against GT in 2026. MS Dhoni has won the most player of the match awards in Chennai Super Kings wins, 16.
Biggest Auction Buys and Best Bargains
Chennai have usually bought fewer marquee names than their rivals and relied on retention. Their most expensive auction signing was Ben Stokes, bought for 16.25 crore rupees in the 2023 auction; injury limited him to two matches that season. In 2024 they paid 14 crore for Daryl Mitchell, and in the 2025 mega auction 10 crore for the Afghan left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad, who became their leading wicket-taker that season. The bargains are the better story. Mike Hussey, Faf du Plessis and Imran Tahir all gave years of service for modest fees, and Matheesha Pathirana, signed as a replacement player in 2022, developed into one of the league’s best death bowlers.
Auction fees are the prices announced at the auction table. Retained players and trades are not included, and prices are in Indian rupees (1 crore = 10 million rupees; 1 lakh = 100,000 rupees).
Current Squad Core
These are the players who appeared most often for Chennai Super Kings in IPL 2026, with their numbers for the season. Squads change through retentions, trades and the auction before each season, so treat this as the core that ended the latest season rather than a confirmed list for 2027.
- Sanju Samson: 14 matches, 477 runs at a strike rate of 165.62
- Ruturaj Gaikwad: 14 matches, 337 runs at a strike rate of 123.44
- Noor Ahmad: 14 matches, 13 wickets at an economy of 8.39
- Anshul Kamboj: 14 matches, 21 wickets at an economy of 10.53
- Shivam Dube: 13 matches, 270 runs at a strike rate of 158.82
- Kartik Sharma: 11 matches, 295 runs at a strike rate of 136.57
- Dewald Brevis: 11 matches, 151 runs at a strike rate of 127.97
- Jamie Overton: 10 matches, 136 runs at a strike rate of 158.14, 14 wickets at an economy of 8.89
- Sarfaraz Khan: 8 matches, 161 runs at a strike rate of 169.47
- Gurjapneet Singh: 8 matches
- Mukesh Choudhary: 8 matches, 8 wickets at an economy of 8.89
- Akeal Hosein: 7 matches, 8 wickets at an economy of 8.03
- Urvil Patel: 7 matches, 129 runs at a strike rate of 201.56
- Ayush Mhatre: 6 matches, 201 runs at a strike rate of 177.88
For the leading individual records across the league, see most wickets in IPL history, most sixes in IPL history and the Orange Cap winners list.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many IPL titles have Chennai Super Kings won?
Chennai Super Kings have won 5 IPL titles: 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023. They have played in 10 finals.
Who is the most successful Chennai Super Kings captain?
MS Dhoni is the most successful CSK captain by a distance: he led the side to all five titles (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023) and to ten finals. He has captained more IPL matches than anyone else.
Where is the Chennai Super Kings home ground?
Chennai Super Kings play home matches at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, where they have won 55 of 84 IPL matches.