Chennai Super Kings (CSK) kicked off their IPL campaign with a four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians (MI). Their new bowling signings delivered immediate results, taking nine of MI’s wickets. Noor Ahmad starred with 4 for 18, the best figures for a CSK spinner against MI. Khaleel Ahmed impressed on debut with 3 for 29, dismissing both openers and keeping the batters under pressure.
MI, restricted to 155 for 9, struggled after Khaleel’s early breakthroughs. R Ashwin, returning to CSK after over a decade, took 1 for 31, removing Will Jacks inside the powerplay. Tilak Varma and stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav attempted to rebuild, but Noor’s brilliance undid their efforts. Suryakumar was stumped by MS Dhoni after being beaten by Noor’s turn, while Varma fell lbw after misjudging the spin.
Chasing 156, CSK promoted Rahul Tripathi, but he fell early. Ruturaj Gaikwad then took charge, smashing 53 off 26 balls and making the chase look easy. He attacked Trent Boult, Deepak Chahar, and Mitchell Santner, helping CSK race to 62 for 1 in the powerplay. Gaikwad’s elegant inside-out six off Jacks showed how comfortable he was on the surface.
However, left-arm wristspinner Vignesh Puthur, on IPL debut, disrupted CSK’s momentum. His slow pace and pitch assistance resulted in catches at the boundary as Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, and Deepak Hooda perished while going for big hits. Despite the minor hiccup, Rachin Ravindra anchored the chase with a composed 65* off 45 balls.
With 31 required off 24 balls, Ravindra and Ravindra Jadeja took control. Jadeja’s boundary off Boult eased the pressure before Ravindra’s three sixes off Puthur ensured CSK’s victory. A late run-out gave the Chepauk crowd a glimpse of Dhoni, but Ravindra sealed the win with a six, leaving Dhoni unbeaten on 0 off 2. CSK’s balanced bowling and solid batting display set the tone for the season.
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