In the run-up to the first part of the El Clasico clash in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, Chennai Super Kings always looked like the stronger side, and the five-time champions justified that billing by registering a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in the third game of the ongoing tournament at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.
CSK’s win was set up by new recruit Noor Ahmad’s 4-18 and Khaleel Ahmed’s 3-29, as they restricted MI to 155/9 in their 20 overs. In the chase, Ruturaj Gaikwad mixed aggression with timing to hit six fours and three sixes while bringing up his fifty in just 22 balls, marking his fastest half-century in the tournament.
Despite wickets falling at the other end, Rachin Ravindra anchored the innings with an unbeaten 45-ball 65, laced with two fours and four sixes, as CSK secured a nervy win with five balls to spare. For MI, who have not won their first match of an IPL season since 2012, debutant left-arm wrist-spinner Vignesh Puthur’s spell of 3-32 was a rare positive.
On his CSK debut, Noor Ahmad bamboozled MI batters with his mastery, registering the best figures by a spinner from his team against the five-time champions. Meanwhile, Khaleel was at his best in the powerplay, putting MI on the back foot. Despite rebuilding efforts from Tilak Varma (31) and Suryakumar Yadav (29), MI struggled with shot selection, as CSK’s spinners stemmed the run flow in the middle overs.
A late cameo of 28 not out off 15 balls from Deepak Chahar helped MI cross the 150-run mark. Electing to bowl first, CSK had a dream start, courtesy of Khaleel’s incisive powerplay spell. With an inswinger targeting the stumps, Khaleel had Rohit Sharma flicking straight to mid-wicket, dismissing him for a four-ball duck. Ryan Rickelton hit three boundaries before playing onto his stumps and falling to Khaleel for 13.
Ravichandran Ashwin struck in his first over as a CSK bowler after nearly a decade when Will Jacks tried to loft his carrom ball but failed to generate enough power, getting caught at mid-off for 11. Suryakumar set the tone for MI’s fightback with a boundary each off Ashwin and Nathan Ellis before whipping Khaleel for six.
From the other end, Varma tried unsettling Ashwin by thumping and reverse-sweeping him for back-to-back boundaries before lofting Ravindra Jadeja for six. Ashwin nearly dismissed Suryakumar, but he dropped a caught-and-bowled chance. However, Noor struck in the 13th over, dismissing the MI skipper, who missed a turning delivery and was quickly stumped by MS Dhoni for 29.
Noor struck again as debutant Robin Minz, trying to break free from pressure, holed out to long-off. The young Afghan spinner continued his dominance, trapping Tilak plumb lbw with a googly for 31 before castling Naman Dhir around his legs for 17. After Ellis trapped Mitchell Santner lbw, Chahar finished MI’s innings with a late flourish, hitting Khaleel for four and six. Khaleel, however, wrapped up his spell by having Trent Boult caught in the deep before Chahar hoicked Ellis for six, ensuring MI crossed 150.
Chasing 156, Chahar struck early as Rahul Tripathi top-edged a short ball to Rickleton in the second over. Gaikwad, coming in at No. 3, creamed two drives off Boult for consecutive boundaries before pulling Chahar for six.
Debutant pacer Satyanarayana Raju provided width, and Gaikwad capitalized, hammering shots through the off-side before pulling, whipping, and smashing Santner for a six and two fours, helping CSK reach 62/1 at the end of the powerplay. Soon after, Gaikwad lofted Will Jacks inside-out for six before bringing up his fifty in just 22 balls. However, he fell for 53, attempting a lofted straight drive against debutant Puthur but finding the fielder at long-off.
Puthur, yet to play senior cricket for Kerala, grabbed another key wicket as Shivam Dube holed out to the fielder near the straight boundary for nine, shortly after being deceived by a googly. Amidst the chaos, Ravindra, who was at 28 off 27 balls, shifted gears, dancing down the track to loft Puthur for six. However, Puthur’s dream debut continued as Deepak Hooda failed to get elevation on a slog-sweep and was caught in the deep.
CSK’s troubles deepened as, after two quiet overs, Sam Curran attempted to take on Jacks but was bowled for four. With 31 runs needed off the last four overs, Jadeja sliced Boult through backward point for a four in a 10-run 17th over.
Ravindra brought up his fifty in 42 balls by hoicking Puthur over mid-wicket for six before launching another maximum over long-on. Although Jadeja was run out for 17, Ravindra sealed the chase in style by pulling Santner for six, much to the delight of the crowd. The fans also got a glimpse of MS Dhoni, who didn’t face a delivery, as CSK began their campaign with a victory.
Brief scores:
Mumbai Indians 155/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 31, Suryakumar Yadav 29; Noor Ahmad 4-18, Khaleel Ahmed 3-29) lost to Chennai Super Kings 158/6 in 19.1 overs (Rachin Ravindra 65 not out, Ruturaj Gaikwad 53; Vignesh Puthur 3-32, Deepak Chahar 1-18) by four wickets.
