What Is the ‘Wooden Spoon’? Reason Behind Fans Brutally Trolling CSK

CSK's dismal 2025 IPL season means that the team could finish last in the standings, prompting fans to suggest they will get the 'Wooden Spoon'.

What Is the ‘Wooden Spoon’? Reason Behind Fans Brutally Trolling CSK

CSK have been trolled by fans for winning the 2025 IPL 'Wooden Spoon'. (via Cricbuzz)

Chennai Super Kings have been the worst performers in the 2025 IPL season, with the team on course to finish at the bottom of the standings. It has prompted fans to jokingly suggest the five-time IPL winners will receive the ‘Wooden Spoon’ award this time.

CSK suffered its tenth defeat of the ongoing IPL season, against Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. This means, for the first time in the competition’s 18-year history, CSK might finish at the bottom of the table. Their chances of moving up from 10th position are extremely slim due to their league-worst net run rate of -1.030, as they have just six points from 13 matches.

CSK’s only remote hope of climbing higher would be a victory in their final game against table-toppers Gujarat Titans by over 100 runs. Batting first, Chennai Super Kings, who were the first to be eliminated out of the play-offs race this season, posted a competitive total of 187 runs for the loss of eight wickets.

Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre were the only standout performers of an otherwise poor batting display by Chennai. Mhatre scored a quickfire 43 off just 20 balls, while Brevis added in with a 42-run knock off 25 balls.

For the Men in Pink, pacers Akash Madhwal and Yudhvir Singh scalped three wickets each. In response, RR, despite having faltered eight out of nine times while chasing this season, cruised to victory in just 17.1 overs, with six wickets in hand.

CSK now face the unusual prospect of finishing last in the table. This would be a rare occurrence for a franchise which holds the records for the most finals appearances (10) and most play-off qualifications (12). The 2025 season has been challenging for CSK, marked by five consecutive defeats at their home ground, the Chepauk Stadium, meaning that two consecutive IPL finals would be played without MS Dhoni for the first time.

Dhoni’s return as CSK captain midway through the season, after Ruturaj Gaikwad‘s injury, unfortunately didn’t turn around the team’s fortunes, as they endured their worst-ever IPL run. This also puts the Men in Yellow at a higher risk of receiving the ‘Wooden Spoon’, an unofficial and ironic award given to the team finishing last. This British term for a last-place award is common in sports like rugby, football, and tennis.

In cricket, Australia’s Big Bash League recognizes the last-place team, with Sydney Thunder holding the record for five ‘Wooden Spoon’ awards. Had it been awarded to the bottom-placed teams in the IPL, Delhi Capitals would have had the most with four such spoons, in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2018. 

Aakash Chopra suggests CSK to release veteran all-rounder following dismal IPL 2025 season

Former India cricketer-turned analyst Aakash Chopra surprisingly recommended Chennai Super Kings, following their dismal 2025 IPL campaign, to release veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja from the squad. The 36-year-old earns a substantial salary of INR 18 crores, at the franchise.

CSK release Ravindra Jadeja Aakash Chopra
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra advised CSK to release Ravindra Jadeja, ahead of the 2026 IPL auction. (via Times of India)

Chopra proposed that the five-time IPL winners should trade Ravindra Jadeja in the 2026 IPL Auction. He even endorsed South African Dewald Brevis to take over Jadeja’s number four spot in the CSK batting order, next season onwards. Jadeja, despite being promoted up the order, has been unable to rescue his team, scoring only 280 runs in 13 matches with a strike rate of 137.25 so far. These were his suggestions on ESPNCricinfo’s Show:

Probably trade [Ravindra] Jadeja. You have Dewald Brevis as your No. 4. I will bat him at No., instead of Jadeja. And I am thinking that this won’t be the one-two-three any which way.

Brevis, on the other hand, after being roped in as a mid-season replacement for the injured Gurjapneet Singh, has been a valuable pick. In only five matches, the 22-year-old has scored 168 runs, boasting an impressive strike rate of 164.71 and an average of 33.60.