CSK Vs MI , 3rd IPL Match 2025 Highlights : Noor, Ravindra and Gaikwad Gave A Comfortable Win To CSK Against MI .

CSK Vs MI, 3RD IPL MATCH 2025 , CHENNAI : Noor, Ravindra and Gaikwad Gave A Comfortable Win To CSK Against MI .

Rachin Ravindra played the anchor as Chennai Super Kings cruised to a comfortable four-wicket win over Mumbai Indians in their IPL 2025 campaign opener at Chepauk, on Sunday. MI also continued their 13-year old unwanted streak of losing the opening match of their campaign. The side has been winning since 2012 in delta their IPL campaign opener. In the game in Chennai, CSK’s Noor Ahmed (4 for 18) and Khaleel Ahmed (3 for 29) partnered to break MI’s spine, limiting the side to 155 for 9 in 20 overs. CSK were always just ahead in the chase, thanks to Rachin’s 65 not out from 45. The silver lining of the MI loss was 24-year-old debutant Vignesh Puthur, who impressed with figures of 3 for 32 and got some crucial scalps. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad also played a key 53 off 26. Noor, Ravindra and Gaikwad Gave A Comfortable Win To CSK Against MI .

TOSS-

Chennai Super Kings won the toss and opt to bowl.

Chennai Super Kings Squad:

Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Rachin Ravindra, Deepak Hooda, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Sam Curran, MS Dhoni (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Noor Ahmad, Nathan Ellis, Khaleel Ahmed

Mumbai Indians Squad:

Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Will Jacks, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Naman Dhir, Robin Minz, Mitchell Santner, Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, Satyanarayana Raju

MUMBAI INDIANS-

R Ashwin is not exactly a new boy in CSK colours. But that was a decade ago and a different era for him. After he was asked to bowl in the PowerPlay, he struck with a carrom ball that Will Jacks mistimed to get out caught by Shivam Dube. But on the night before Ashwin’s perfect return, it was Khaleel Ahmed who stole the early headlines as CSK chose to bowl first. He got rid of Rohit Sharma for a duck after the erstwhile MI captain hit one to mid-wicket. Ryan Rickelton opening his account and his IPL career with a couple of delightful strokes off Sam Curran but his entertaining beginning was ended by Khaleel as the left-hander under-edged one that broke the stumps. Tilak Varma then pulled a fast one by hitting a couple of high risk shots off his first two deliveries to earn boundaries and Surya Kumar Yadav completed the PowerPlay with a regulation whip over the ropes.

The pre-season narrative surrounding CSK was always about the Chepauk surface. Having played on four less escapist pitches in recent times, CSK were hoping for a more friendly surface this time. It wasn’t really a throwback to their glory days but it still had enough to make life difficult for the batting side. While Tilak smashed Ravindra Jadeja with a few sixes, it was the Noor show in the middle phase that turned the fortunes in CSK’s favour completely after the halfway mark. MI were nicely positioned at 82 for 3 after 10 overs but Noor ended the surface partnership by dismissing Suryakumar Yadav who was out stumped in a flash by 43-year-old MS Dhoni. Two overs later, the MI batters were in trouble again as the spinner uprooted the wicket of Robin Minz and Tilak Varma as they failed to read the googly. MI required some special performance from their lower act to set a good total at 110 for 6.

MI had it bleak when Nathan Ellis had three overs left in hand to finish the innings. As if it couldn’t get worse, Noor came back for his last over and bowled Naman Dhir around his legs. It was then only up to the two former CSK men Mitchell Santner and Deepak Chahar to haul their new franchise up to a respectable total. Santner got trapped lbw to Ellis, but Chahar hit two sixes and two fours in the last two overs to carry MI past 150, and offer something to defend.

CHENNAI SUPERKINGS-

CSK pulled in a surprise sending in Rahul Tripathi to open with Rachin. But it was not long before Gaikwad found himself walking out to bat with Chahar also providing MI with an early breakthrough when a short ball was gloved behind to the keeper by Tripathi. Gaikwad, however, got off the blocks pretty quickly, striking Trent Boult for a couple of boundaries and then launching Chahar into the stands over deep mid-wicket for a huge six. Satyanarayana Raju was greeted to the attack with a few of fours and Suryakumar’s plans of finishing off the Power Play with a gentle over by bowling Santner were destroyed as the CSK skipper took the left-arm spin for a six and a couple of fours to motor to 42 off just 19 balls.

The shot of the match came after the first over of the Power Play when Gaikwad easily loosed one over extra cover for his third six, before getting to his fifty in just 22 balls — his quickest in the IPL. It required a debutant to bring Gaikwad’s carnage to an end as Vignesh Puthur struck immediately after being introduced into the attack as the CSK skipper miscued one to be held near the boundary. From that point on the match gradually came to life. Shivam Dube (16) came out with intent and pulled Jacks over deep mid-wicket for a six but mistimed Puthur next over and got caught near boundary. The debutant had a ball as he struck again, in his third over. Having been hit for six by Ravindra earlier, the left-arm spinner got back into it by removing Deepak Hooda to rattle the CSK camp a bit. MI continued to bowl their spinners to apply the squeeze and it was Sam Curran who fell next after trying to break free but was there castled by Jacks. CSK now required 37 runs off the last five overs with five wickets in hand.

But with the game tight, CSK wanted a couple of boundaries to get the pressure off and coast to victory. There was that boundary for Jadeja right away when pace returned and it was Boult, but it was very much Rachin who dashed MI’s faint hopes with a devastating two sixes off Puthur in the 18th over to also bring up a crucial half-century. There’s plenty of debate over that overseas opening slot, and Rachin kept his chances alive with a steady fifty. Dhoni was forced out early when Jadeja was run out in the penultimate over but it only delayed the inevitable as Rachin smashed another six to seal the deal with five balls to spare.

Brief scores:

Mumbai Indians 155/9 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 31; Noor Ahmad 4/18, Khaleel Ahmed 3/29) lose to Chennai Super Kings 158/6 in 19.1 overs (Rachin Ravindra 65\*, Ruturaj Gaikwad 53; Vignesh Puthur 3/32) by 4 wickets.