And when it started this edition’s campaign with a resounding win over its fierce rival Mumbai Indians, there was every reason to believe that the MS Dhoni-led team would once again be among the chief contenders for the title. But that was not to be as the former champion was pushed out of reckoning in the group stage itself.

The team’s cause was also not aided by the withdrawals of seasoned campaigners such as Suresh Raina and Harbhajan Singh at the eleventh hour citing personal reasons. In hindsight, not being able to find a suitable replacement for Raina was a body blow to the Super Kings considering that he and Dhoni are kindred spirits. Raina was a trusted confidante of Dhoni and numbers bear that out as he is the second-most capped player in the Super Kings’ history. That kind of battle-hardened experience is something that can’t be bought overnight and CSK learned it the hard way.

Fans may still have come to terms with Raina’s absence if only they had the version of Dhoni from previous seasons. In his 10-year tryst with CSK, Dhoni hardly put a foot wrong - forging an inseparable bond with cricket-lovers around the globe. However, this year, it became quite apparent that ‘Thala’ was not quite the finisher he was. One still remembers the crackle he brought when he came on to bat in crucial inflection points of matches – particularly in the ICC World Cup of 2015 where he found the boundaries, absorbed the pressure, and finished with an effortless six!

So to see their icon struggle to sprint between the wickets and miscalculate shots was something that didn’t go down well with the yellow brigade. Everyone unfairly forgot that MSD plays three roles in the team which is almost one-third of his team’s full strength - as an ace batsman, superlative wicket-keeper, and shrewd skipper - while still trying to fill the gap that was left behind by the exit of trusted team members, as well as carry the weight of an aging side. The former India captain has been the victim of unfair expectations in the past and, once again, he was a soft target to pin the blame for the team’s collective failure.

Despite this season not turning out the way they hoped, the CSK management has displayed maturity and grace by declaring their unwavering support to Dhoni, asserting that the skipper would continue to lead the team in the 2021 IPL as well. And while it’s a commendable display of loyalty, it would also be wise to remember that the success of a team is dependent on all players and not just the captain; just as lovers of cricket should know that sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but the game goes on.