IPL 2018: Chennai Super Kings Register Unique Record After Making it to the Playoffs
There were a lot of apprehensions that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) would struggle in their comeback season. The Chennai-based outfit along with inaugural winners Rajasthan Royals (RR) returned to the league this season.
Moreover, both the franchises could not play the last two seasons after the Supreme Court imposed a two-year ban on them following the involvement of some of their owners in fixing scandal way back in 2013 infamous saga.
Prior to the suspension, the Super Kings had enjoyed unparalleled success. They are one of the most successful teams in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The only team which has defended its IPL title so far, Super Kings won the league twice-2010 and 2011.
In addition, they also made it to the summit clash on four different occasions including the inaugural season. They have also won the now-scrapped Champions League Twenty20 twice.
But not surprisingly, many predicted that the Super Kings would endure a tough comeback season. However, the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led side did not take long to prove the distractors wrong as the team hit the ground running.
In the first two games, they beat two of the most successful teams in the history of IPL – Mumbai Indians (MI) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
On Sunday (May 13), Dhoni and his men beat Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – to register their eighth win in 12 games this season. The win eventually helped them become the second team after Sunrisers to qualify for the playoffs.
And along with it, Super Kings became the first team to make it to the last four in all the nine seasons it has played so far.
Here is a table showing year-wise standings of crowd-favourite Chennai Super Kings:
| Year | Position |
| 2008 | Runners-up |
| 2009 | Playoffs (2nd/8) |
| 2010 | Champions |
| 2011 | Champions |
| 2012 | Runners-up |
| 2013 | Runners-up |
| 2014 | Playoffs (3rd/8) |
| 2015 | Runners-up |
| 2016 | Suspended |
| 2017 | Suspended |
| 2018 | Playoff* (final standing still not final) |
Indians have made it to the playoffs on seven occasions in the past 10 seasons while no other team has crossed this mark more than five times.
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made it to the playoffs five times. Delhi Daredevils (DD), Sunrisers, and Rajasthan made it to the last four on four occasions while Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) made it once.
