Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been already eliminated from the IPL 2022 playoffs race after losing to Gujarat Titans (GT) last week. CSK have 4 wins from 13 matches till now in IPL 15.

Despite MS Dhoni's returning as captain of Chennai Super Kings, the four-time IPL champions missed the playoffs for the second time in IPL's history. Would CSK have made the playoffs in the IPL 2022 if Dhoni had been the captain from the start?

Ravindra Jadeja was named the new captain of CSK before the commencement of IPL 2022. However, a string of losses along with his deteriorating form resulted in Jadeja relinquishing the captaincy back to Dhoni.

When Dhoni took over as captain earlier this month, CSK still had a chance to make the playoffs, but their bad run continued, and they are now in ninth place in the table with four wins in 13 games.

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In an interview with Sportskeeda, former Indian cricketer and CSK player Harbhajan Singh confessed that even if Dhoni had stayed captain throughout the season, CSK would have failed to make the playoffs.

“Had Dhoni remained the captain of the team, CSK would benefit indeed, and would have sat at a higher position in the points table, but they still wouldn't have qualified because they don't have the team. They don't have a strong bowling unit. Deepak Chahar, who was a wicket-taking bowler, was injured. Even the batters didn't play that well,” he said. 

Harbhajan, on the other hand, believes that if clubs had been granted home-field advantage this season, Chennai would have made the playoffs.

“It would have made a huge difference. Chennai would have definitely qualified for playoffs even with this team. Because when they play at home, they play differently. Delhi and Mumbai too have been strong in-home conditions,” he said. 

Harbhajan could not be more accurate. CSK have won 40 of their 56 IPL games at the MA Chidambaram Stadium since 2008, assuming a win-loss ratio of 2.6, the greatest of any IPL team.