CSK vs MI: Chennai start off IPL 2025 with a win, defeats Mumbai by four wickets; Rachin-Gaikwad score half-centuries
Chennai Super Kings get their campaign off to a winning start! They would have wanted to finish the chase with fewer hiccups, but in the end, a win is a win and they will be pleased to have their first points. As for Mumbai Indians, their streak of not winning an opening game since 2012 continues, but they can take heart from the fight they showed in dragging the game to the final over.
CSK lost Rahul Tripathi early, but Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra steadied the ship and got the chase on track. Gaikwad took the aggressive route, capitalizing on Mumbai Indians' inconsistent bowling, while Ravindra played the perfect supporting role at the other end.
The necessary run rate was still controllable because of CSK's excellent start. They only needed a calm presence in the middle, which Rachin provided because he didn't waste his wicket with careless shot selection like other players did. Ravindra Jadeja proved to be a capable companion. With an undefeated 65-run knock, Rachin made sure he saw it through and got the home team over the finish line.
Earlier, CSK chose to bowl first after Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss. As anticipated, Khaleel Ahmed caused early damage before the spinners took over, meaning the Mumbai Indians' innings never really took off. Noor Ahmad finished with four wickets after using his skill to dominate the middle overs. Mumbai battled for impetus on either side of their stand, despite the fact that Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav managed to cobble together a partnership of some significance. Deepak Chahar's blistering 15-ball 28 towards the end helped MI reach 155.
Updated Points Table following CSK's win over MI
| TEAMS | M | W | L | T | N/R | PT | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2.200 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +2.137 |
| Chennai Super Kings | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | +0.493 |
| Mumbai Indians | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.493 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.137 |
| Rajasthan Royals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.200 |
| Delhi Capitals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Gujarat Titans | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| Punjab Kings | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |