Medias favourite teams have always struggled in IPL and a perfect example of that is the Mahendra Singh Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings. This time around media had a valid point in labelling Chennai as their favourite team, considering M S Dhonis huge success at international level in all forms of game.
Even though Chennai Super Kings made the finals of the inaugural edition in 2008, the teams who actually dominated the inaugural edition were Shane Warne led Rajasthan Royals and Yuvraj Singh led Kings Eleven Punjab with 11 and 10 wins respectively from 14 matches. Chennai lost as many as 6 matches in the league and were actually lucky to enter into the semi finals as they lost too many matches in the middle and last stages of the league. Actually Mumbai Indians after their initial losses performed far better than Chennai and were unfortunate that they could not make the semi finals.
Chennai Super Kings peformed no better in the second edition in 2009 losing as many as 5 matches before making the semi finals. A team like Bangalore who performed disastrously in the inaugral edition, releived them of their misery by eliminating them in the semi finals whereas Delhi Daredevils a team not rated that high dominated the tournament with 10 wins . This edition of IPL has been the worst for Chennai Super Kings as they have already lost 6 matches with one match yet to be played and find themselves in a situation where they are more dependent on the results of other teams than in their own performance.
It is not only Chennai but even other teams rated highly by media like Kolkatta and Bangalore are struggling to make it to the semi finals. Kolkatta lost 7 in the inaugral edition and were dismal in 2009 losing 10 of the 14 matches and this time they have already lost 7 with couple of matches to go. Bangalore which has been rated highly especially this year too are counting on the fortunes of other teams like Chennai.
What is actually worse is the fact that even though the teams labelled as favourites are on a losing spree, media still labels them as the favourites for the next match. The points table on 13th April 2010 had fancied teams like Chennai, Bangalore and Delhi on 6 wins from 12 matches while unfacied teams like Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals too had an identical number of wins and losses.