Pre-Match Context:-
The IPL 2025 season had kicked off just a day earlier, and this third match of the tournament promised fireworks. CSK, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, faced off against MI, with Suryakumar Yadav standing in as captain due to Hardik Pandya’s one-match suspension for a slow over-rate violation from the previous season. Both teams, boasting five IPL titles each, share one of the fiercest rivalries in the league, often dubbed the “El Clasico of IPL.” The Chepauk crowd was buzzing, with the stands awash in yellow, eager to see if MS Dhoni, still a talisman for CSK, would make an impact.
CSK won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision influenced by the dew factor expected later in the evening and their potent spin attack suited to the slow Chepauk pitch. MI, missing Jasprit Bumrah due to injury, introduced debutants like Kerala spinner Vignesh Puthur and Andhra pacer Satyanarayana Raju, banking on a mix of experience and fresh talent.
Mumbai Indians Innings: Step-by-Step Breakdown:
Powerplay (Overs 1-6): A Shaky Start
MI opened with Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton, the South African wicketkeeper-batter. CSK handed the new ball to Khaleel Ahmed, whose ability to swing the ball early posed an immediate threat. The first over set the tone for MI’s struggles:
Over 1 (Khaleel Ahmed): Rohit faced the first ball, a full-length delivery on off-stump. Expecting swing, he played cautiously but misjudged the line, edging it straight to forward square leg for a duck. A golden duck for the MI veteran sent shockwaves through the stadium. Score: 0/1. Tilak Varma walked in at No. 3, and Khaleel struck again in the fifth ball, trapping Rickelton (2 off 4) LBW with an inswinger. Score: 2/2. Surya kumar Yadav, the stand-in captain, joined Tilak, and the over ended with MI at 3/2.
Over 2 (Nathan Ellis): The Australian pacer kept it tight, conceding just 4 runs. Surya kumar flicked a single to mid-wicket, while Tilak defended solidly. MI: 7/2.
Over 3 (Khaleel Ahmed): Khaleel continued his spell, targeting Tilak with a short ball. Tilak (6 off 8) miscued a pull shot, and Ravindra Jadeja took a simple catch at mid-on. Score: 13/3. Will Jacks, the English all-rounder, came in, and the over yielded 6 runs with a boundary off Jacks’ bat—a crisp cover drive. MI: 19/3.
Over 4-6: Ellis and Sam Curran shared the next three overs, maintaining pressure. Suryakumar and Jacks tried to rebuild, with Suryakumar lofting Curran for a six over long-off in the fifth over. However, the powerplay ended with MI at 34/3, a below-par start against CSK’s disciplined bowling.
Middle Overs (Overs 7-16): Spin Takes Over
CSK introduced their spinners, leveraging the slow Chepauk surface. Ravichandran Ashwin, returning to CSK after a decade, bowled alongside Noor Ahmad, the Afghan left-arm wrist-spinner.
Over 7 (Ravichandran Ashwin): Ashwin struck with his second ball, deceiving Jacks (12 off 14) with a carrom ball that crashed into the stumps. MI: 41/4. Naman Dhir joined Suryakumar, and the over ended with 3 runs.
Over 8 (Noor Ahmad): Noor’s introduction was electric. His first over saw Suryakumar (18 off 16) attempt a lofted cover drive, only to be caught by Ruturaj Gaikwad at extra cover. Score: 47/5. Robin Minz, the Jharkhand debutant, walked in, and Noor bowled a tight over, conceding just 2 runs.
Over 9-10: Ashwin and Jadeja kept the screws tight, with Jadeja’s accuracy forcing Minz into a defensive shell. MI crawled to 60/5 after 10 overs, the run rate languishing below 6.
Over 11 (Noor Ahmad): Noor’s wrong’un bamboozled Naman Dhir (10 off 12), bowling him around his legs as he misread the turn. Score: 67/6. Mitchell Santner, the Kiwi all-rounder, came in, and MI were in deep trouble.
Over 12-14: Santner and Minz attempted a counterattack. Santner smashed Jadeja for a six over mid-wicket in the 13th, while Minz lofted Ashwin for a boundary. MI reached 90/6 after 14 overs, with Noor returning to strike again.
Over 15 (Noor Ahmad): Noor’s third wicket came as Minz (13 off 15) top-edged a slog-sweep, caught by Deepak Hooda at deep mid-wicket. Score: 98/7. Deepak Chahar, the former CSK pacer now with MI, walked in, and the over ended with 4 runs.
Over 16: Jadeja bowled a miserly over, conceding just 3 singles. MI: 101/7.
Death Overs (Overs 17-20): Chahar’s Cameo
CSK aimed to close out the innings, but Deepak Chahar had other plans.
Over 17 (Nathan Ellis): Chahar launched Ellis for a six over long-on and followed it with a boundary through cover. Santner added a single, and the over cost 12 runs. MI: 113/7.
Over 18 (Noor Ahmad): Noor struck his fourth blow, dismissing Santner (15 off 14) with another wrong’un, caught by MS Dhoni behind the stumps after a faint edge. Score: 121/8. Trent Boult joined Chahar, and the over yielded 5 runs.
Over 19 (Khaleel Ahmed): Chahar went on the attack, smashing a four through mid-wicket and a six over deep square leg. Khaleel removed Boult (2 off 3) with a yorker, caught by Dhoni for a lightning-fast stumping—his trademark brilliance on display. Score: 135/9. Satyanarayana Raju, the debutant, came in.
Over 20 (Sam Curran): Chahar finished in style, hitting Curran for a boundary and a six in the final over. Raju managed a single, and MI ended at 155/9. Chahar’s unbeaten 28 off 15 provided a late flourish, but was it enough?
MI Total: 155/9 in 20 overs
Top Scorers: Deepak Chahar 28* (15), Surya kumar Yadav 18 (16)
Bowling Stars: Noor Ahmad 4/18, Khaleel Ahmed 3/25
Chennai Super Kings Innings: Step-by-Step Breakdown:
Powerplay (Overs 1-6): Gaikwad and Ravindra Take Charge
CSK opened with Rachin Ravindra and Rahul Tripathi (an Impact Sub), with Ruturaj Gaikwad surprisingly at No. 3. MI started with Trent Boult, while Vignesh Puthur replaced Rohit Sharma as an Impact Sub.
Over 1 (Trent Boult): Ravindra faced Boult, flicking the second ball for 2 runs to mid-wicket. Tripathi lofted a single over cover, and Ravindra added another single. Score: 5/0.
Over 2 (Deepak Chahar): Chahar kept it tight, but Ravindra punched a boundary through point off the fourth ball. Tripathi fell for 4 off 6, caught by Suryakumar at mid-off attempting a lofted drive. Score: 11/1. Gaikwad walked in, and the over ended with a single.
Over 3 (Trent Boult): Gaikwad announced his intent, driving Boult for a four through cover and flicking a six over fine leg. Ravindra added a single, and CSK reached 23/1.
Over 4 (Vignesh Puthur): The debutant spinner struck, dismissing Gaikwad (15 off 8) as he holed out to Will Jacks at long-on attempting a lofted shot. Score: 28/2. Shivam Dube joined Ravindra, and the over cost 5 runs.
Over 5-6: Boult and Chahar bowled disciplined lines, but Ravindra smashed Chahar for a six over mid-wicket in the sixth over. CSK ended the powerplay at 45/2, with Ravindra (20* off 15) looking ominous.
Middle Overs (Overs 7-16): Ravindra’s Resilience
CSK aimed to consolidate, with Ravindra anchoring the chase.
Over 7 (Mitchell Santner): Santner bowled a tidy over, but Ravindra swept a four to deep square leg. Dube struggled, scoring 2 off 4. Score: 52/2.
Over 8 (Vignesh Puthur): Puthur struck again, removing Dube (9 off 7) with a googly, caught by Tilak Varma at deep mid-wicket. Score: 60/3. Deepak Hooda came in, and the over yielded 4 runs.
Over 9 (Satyanarayana Raju): Raju kept it tight, conceding 5 singles. Ravindra reached 30* off 22. Score: 65/3.
Over 10 (Will Jacks): Ravindra unleashed, smashing Jacks for a six over long-on and a four through cover. Hooda added a single, and CSK reached 80/3 at the halfway mark.
Over 11 (Vignesh Puthur): Puthur’s dream debut continued as he trapped Hooda (3 off 6) LBW with a sharp leg-break. Score: 85/4. MS Dhoni walked out to a deafening roar, but faced just 2 balls, defending both. Ravindra hit a boundary off the last ball, easing nerves. Score: 90/4.
Over 12-14: Santner and Raju bowled economically, but Ravindra kept the scoreboard ticking with singles and a six off Santner in the 13th over. Dhoni remained not out on 0* off 4, content to rotate strike. CSK: 110/4 after 14 overs, needing 46 off 36.
Over 15 (Trent Boult): Ravindra reached his fifty (51* off 38) with a four through point. Dhoni blocked a yorker, and the over cost 7 runs. Score: 117/4.
Over 16: Jacks returned, and Ravindra smashed a six over long-on, reducing the equation to 33 off 24. Score: 125/4.
Death Overs (Overs 17-20): A Tense Finish:
With the dew setting in, MI’s bowlers struggled to grip the ball, but Puthur kept them in the game.
Over 17 (Deepak Chahar): Ravindra flicked a four to fine leg, and Dhoni took a single. Chahar bowled a tight over otherwise, conceding 6 runs. Score: 131/4 (25 needed off 18).
Over 18 (Vignesh Puthur): Puthur nearly turned the game, but Ravindra held firm, hitting a boundary through cover. Dhoni remained 1* off 7, and CSK needed 18 off 12. Score: 138/4.
Over 19 (Trent Boult): Ravindra sealed the chase with back-to-back fours—one lofted over cover, the other driven through mid-off. Dhoni faced one ball, taking a single. Score: 149/4 (7 needed off 6).
Over 20 (Deepak Chahar): Ravindra finished in style, hitting a six over long-on off the second ball to win the game with 4 balls to spare. CSK: 156/4.
CSK Total: 156/4 in 19.2 overs
CSK win by 4 wickets (5 balls left)
Top Scorers: Rachin Ravindra 67* (45), Ruturaj Gaikwad 15 (8)
Bowling Stars: Vignesh Puthur 3/30, Trent Boult 1/28
Post-Match Analysis
CSK secured a 4-wicket victory, starting their IPL 2025 campaign with 2 points. Noor Ahmad’s 4/18 was the game-changer, dismantling MI’s middle order, while Khaleel Ahmed’s early strikes (3/25) set the tone. Ravindra’s unbeaten 67 ensured CSK chased down 156 comfortably, despite Puthur’s heroic 3/30 on debut for MI.
Key Moments:
1. Rohit Sharma’s golden duck shifted momentum early.
2. Noor Ahmad’s spell (4 wickets in 4 overs) crippled MI’s batting..
3. Ravindra’s fifty and composure under pressure sealed the chase.
4. Dhoni’s stumping of Boult showcased his timeless brilliance.
Player of the Match: Noor Ahmad, for his match-defining bowling spell.
This match reaffirmed CSK’s dominance at Chepauk and highlighted MI’s struggles without their key players, setting the stage for an intriguing season ahead.
