Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to turn up for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for the second time in the 2019 season of Indian Premier League and the holders lost both the games -- latest being their 46-run capitulation against fellow three-time champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday in Chennai.
It's not that CSK win every match when Dhoni is around. But the manner in which they suffer those defeats, tells a story of helplessness, justifying the claim that CSK is nothing without the former India captain.
So what happens when CSK take the field without Dhoni? They looked like just another ordinary team despite the presence of some of the most experienced players in Suresh Raina, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, etc. Without Dhoni, they already lost half the battle.
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That's what MI captain Rohit Sharma reinforced after the match.
"It was a massive boost that MSD wasn't around. Because his presence does a lot for their team. When you don't have Dhoni when they're chasing the score, then it becomes difficult for them.
"I'm sure his presence was missed by CSK. But he was sick, it's not in his control either," Rohit said.
He added that said it was a blessing in disguise for him to lose the toss as they too wanted to chase on what eventually turned out to be another slow Chepauk pitch.
"I thought it was better to lose the toss since we wanted to chase as well. But we knew whether we bat first or bowl first, we'll still have to play good cricket. We spoke about that at the start of the game, but it was a great effort by the boys since it's not easy to come here and play," he said.
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A team of battle-hardened professionals should at least give a fight in a high-stakes match, which is billed as El Clasico of IPL. When two proud opponents meet, the clash becomes much more than winning and losing.
CSK needed to win the match at Chepauk to deny a double and also improve their head-to-head record against MI. They lost the first leg by 37 runs, and have their worst record against a fellow IPL team, trailing 11 to 14. And after yesterday's match, MI have improved their head-to-head record to four to two.
The legendary wicketkeeper-batsman led CSK into the playoffs every time they competed in the IPL, and this season, they have confirmed a top-four finish. But Dhoni will not be around forever. At 37, he is clearly past his prime and may well also retire from cricket after the World Cup.
Some fans want the Chennai-based franchise to be dissolved once Dhoni retires. Such is Dhoni's influence on the team. And his influence doesn't limit to on-field matters. He is the main reason behind CSK's success as a franchise -- the most recognisable and most relatable. He truly is the heart and soul of the team.
Now, the question is -- What will CSK do?
