Chennai, March 25, 2025 — Chennai Super Kings (CSK) started their TATA IPL 2025 campaign on a high, securing a four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) in a thrilling contest at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The standout performance came from Noor Ahmad, whose sensational spell of 4/18 dismantled MI’s batting lineup, restricting them to a modest 155/9. Despite a brief fightback from MI’s bowlers, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra held their nerve, guiding CSK home in a clinical chase.
Noor Ahmad’s Spell Breaks Mumbai’s Backbone
After winning the toss and opting to bowl first, CSK were led brilliantly by Noor Ahmad, whose masterful bowling completely stifled the MI batsmen. The Afghan spinner was unplayable, as he turned the game on its head, taking 4 wickets for 18 runs. Mumbai Indians, despite a late flourish from Jofra Archer (27 off 18) and Tilak Varma (35 off 32), were never able to fully recover from the early breakthroughs caused by Noor and the support bowlers.
Deepak Chahar also played a crucial role, picking up early wickets to leave MI at 55/5 in the 10th over. Noor Ahmad’s spell ensured that MI could never accelerate their innings, and they limped to 155/9 by the end of their 20 overs.
CSK’s Clinical Chase Led by Gaikwad and Ravindra
Set a modest target of 156, CSK were off to a shaky start as Deepak Chahar struck early, dismissing Rahul Tripathi for a duck in the first over. However, the chase was quickly steadied by Ruturaj Gaikwad, who looked in sublime form, and Rachin Ravindra, who played a mature and composed knock.
Gaikwad, playing with his trademark elegance and aggression, played a stunning knock of 53 off 26 balls. His innings was highlighted by a rapid-fire fifty off just 22 balls, with an exquisite inside-out drive over extra cover off Will Jacks to bring up his half-century. Gaikwad’s fluent strokeplay, including 6 fours and 2 sixes, had CSK racing to 62/1 at the end of the powerplay, leaving them well-placed in the chase.
Unfortunately for CSK, Gaikwad’s brilliant knock was cut short by the debutant Vignesh Puthur, who made an instant impact, dismissing Gaikwad at 53 off 26 balls with a clever delivery that forced him to sky a ball to deep mid-wicket.
Tense Middle Phase as MI Fight Back
With the match in the balance, the middle overs saw MI mount a fightback. Vignesh Puthur continued to shine with the ball, picking up two quick wickets in quick succession, dismissing Shivam Dube (14) and Deepak Hooda (5) to leave CSK needing 31 off the final 24 balls.
The tension in the stadium was palpable, but Rachin Ravindra remained calm under pressure. The Kiwi all-rounder, playing with poise and maturity beyond his years, guided CSK through the challenging phase. Ravindra’s unbeaten 65 off 45 balls was the anchor CSK needed, as he controlled the chase with timely boundaries and composed strokeplay, finishing off the game with a boundary in the final over to seal the win for his side.
Conclusion
Chennai Super Kings’ chase was built on a fantastic all-round performance, with Noor Ahmad’s devastating spell and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s fluent 53 providing the platform. Despite a middle-order wobble, Rachin Ravindra’s composed 65* ensured that CSK crossed the line comfortably, securing an important victory in their IPL 2025 opener.
Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, will take heart from Vignesh Puthur’s impressive debut and the fightback from their bowlers, but the lack of substantial contributions with the bat left them with too little to defend. CSK now look set for an exciting campaign, with a perfect balance between youthful energy and seasoned experience.
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