Chennai Super Kings have won the Indian Premier League five times, in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023, according to the IPL’s official team page, which also lists the M. A. Chidambaram Stadium at Chepauk as home, Ruturaj Gaikwad as captain and Zaheer Khan as coach. That tally ties them with Mumbai Indians for the most titles in the league’s history.
The last three seasons have been harder. CSK missed the playoffs in 2024, 2025 and 2026, and the franchise has changed its captain, its coach and a large part of its squad since the 2023 win. This explainer runs through the record, the people in charge and what the city’s team looks like ahead of the 2027 season.
Five titles and the seasons in between
CSK reached the final in the very first IPL season in 2008 and lost to Rajasthan Royals, the Olympics.com winners list notes. They won the title for the first time two years later, beating Mumbai Indians, and retained it in 2011. The other three titles came after a forced break.
| Season | Result for CSK |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Runners-up to Rajasthan Royals |
| 2010 | Champions, beat Mumbai Indians in the final |
| 2011 | Champions |
| 2016 and 2017 | Suspended from the league |
| 2018 | Champions in the comeback season |
| 2021 | Champions, beat Kolkata Knight Riders in the final |
| 2023 | Champions, beat Gujarat Titans in the final |
| 2024 to 2026 | Did not reach the playoffs |
The suspension followed the 2013 betting scandal. On 14 July 2015 the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha Committee banned CSK and Rajasthan Royals for two years and barred former CSK official Gurunath Meiyappan from cricket activity, Khaleej Times reported. The team returned in 2018 and won the title straight away.
Captains: from Dhoni to Gaikwad
MS Dhoni was captain from the franchise’s first season and led all five title wins. He handed over to Ravindra Jadeja before 2022 but took the job back midway through that season, and Gaikwad took over in 2024, Wisden recorded. When Gaikwad fractured his elbow in 2025, Dhoni stepped back in for the rest of that season. Wisden puts Dhoni’s league record as captain, across CSK and Rising Pune Supergiant, at 133 wins from 226 matches.
The 2026 season was the first in IPL history in which Dhoni did not play a single match for CSK, Business Standard reported. Asked about 2027, Gaikwad told reporters the answer would come next year. No official retirement announcement has been made.
The 2026 season: a rebuilt squad
CSK made the league’s biggest trade before the season. In November 2025 they sent Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals and brought in Sanju Samson, with Jadeja and Samson both valued at ₹18 crore, The Week reported.
The new side lost its first three games, recovered for a while and then faded as injuries to all-rounders Jamie Overton and Ramakrishna Ghosh left the eleven short. CSK finished with six wins and eight defeats. The campaign ended on 21 May with an 89-run loss to Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad, and the points table published after that game showed CSK on 12 points and eliminated. Royal Challengers Bengaluru went on to win the title.
Gaikwad described it as a learning year, pointing out that several of his players had fewer than 20 IPL matches behind them.
New coach for 2027
In September 2026 CSK named former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan head coach in place of Stephen Fleming, who had spent 16 years with the franchise and was part of all five titles, DT Next reported. Zaheer, 47, has not been a head coach before; he previously held development roles at Mumbai Indians and was mentor at Lucknow Super Giants. Managing director Kasi Viswanathan said the choice was made by the cricket management group, including Dhoni, owner Rupa Gurunath, Gaikwad and Samson.
The official owner of the franchise is listed by the IPL as Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited.
What it means for Chennai fans
- Home games stay at Chepauk. The stadium is run by the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and the team plays its home league matches there.
- Watch the retention window. Before every season, franchises announce which players they keep; for 2026, the deadline was 15 November 2025. Expect a similar date for 2027, and watch for news on Dhoni in that list.
- Buy tickets only from the official partner. CSK announces its ticketing platform before each season; resale on social media is a common scam.
- Junior and local talent. Many CSK squad players are first spotted in the Tamil Nadu Premier League and TNCA league cricket, which also play at Chepauk.
Quick answers
How many IPL titles have CSK won?
Five: 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023.
Why didn’t CSK play in 2016 and 2017?
The Lodha Committee suspended the franchise for two years in July 2015 after the 2013 betting scandal.
Who is CSK’s captain and coach now?
Ruturaj Gaikwad is captain. Zaheer Khan was named head coach in September 2026, replacing Stephen Fleming.
Did Dhoni play in IPL 2026?
No. He did not play a match in the 2026 season, and his plans for 2027 have not been announced.
Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.
Sources
- Chennai Super Kings team page (IPL official)
- IPL winners list (Olympics.com)
- IPL teams CSK, Royals suspended for two years (Khaleej Times)
- MS Dhoni named CSK captain for remainder of IPL 2025 (Wisden)
- Sanju Samson joins CSK, Jadeja moves to RR (The Week)
- IPL 2026 points table after GT vs CSK (Outlook India)
- Gaikwad on Dhoni’s IPL 2027 future (Business Standard)
- Zaheer is new head coach of Chennai Super Kings (DT Next)
