Chennai Super Kings (CSK) kicked off their IPL 2025 campaign with a solid four-wicket victory over Mumbai Indians (MI) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on March 23. After Mumbai posted a total of 155/9 Chennai chased it down with five balls to spare ending at 156/6.

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Ruturaj Gaikwad’s brilliant fifty and Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 59 were the key highlights of the game. Despite a mid-innings wobble caused by MI debutant Vignesh Puthur CSK remained steady to secure the win.

Mumbai, led by stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav in Hardik Pandya's absence had a shaky start. Khaleel Ahmed removed Rohit Sharma for a duck, leaving MI under pressure. Tilak Varma (31) and Suryakumar Yadav (29) tried to rebuild, but CSK’s spinners led by Afghanistan Noor Ahmad, took control. Noor picked up four wickets, including the key scalp of Suryakumar, and Khaleel added 3/29. MI could only manage 155/9, with a late cameo from Deepak Chahar (28 off 15) adding some vital runs.

CSK’s chase started with Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 53 off 26, giving them a strong platform. However MI’s Vignesh Puthur triggered a collapse, taking three quick wickets. Rachin Ravindra then took charge guiding CSK to victory with an unbeaten 59. Although MS Dhoni got out for a duck Ravindra’s calm approach saw Chennai over the line with four balls to spare.

Post-Match Reactions:

Ruturaj Gaikwad | CSK Winning Captain: "Happy to be on the winning side, loved to have been more clinical but that is how the game goes. That is the requirement of the team (talking about the move to bat at three), and that gives the team more balance. I am really happy to change my position. The spinners were right on point and one thing we were excited about was all three spinners bowling in tandem at Chepauk. Khaleel is experienced, and Noor is an X factor. He (Dhoni) is fitter this year and still looks young."

Noor Ahmad | Player of the Match: "It feels special to play here in the IPL. Happy for the team and happy with the contribution. The focus was to land the ball in the right area, and the wicket of Surya was special. The stumping from MSD was out of this world. Feels great to have someone like Mahi bhai behind the stumps, it’s a great support for me."

Suryakumar Yadav | MI Captain: "We were 15-20 runs short, but the fight the boys showed was commendable. MI is known for giving youngsters opportunities. Vignesh is a product of that. I kept his one over in the pocket if the game went deep, but it was a no-brainer to give him the 18th over. The way Ruturaj batted took the game away from us. It’s a long season ahead."