By IPL Fan Welcome to IPLFan.in, your ultimate destination for all things IPL! The 2025 season is in full swing, and Match 3 on March 23 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai delivered the drama we expect from a Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Mumbai Indians (MI) clash. Known as the “El Clasico of the IPL,” this rivalry between two five-time champions never fails to captivate fans. CSK emerged victorious by 4 wickets in a chase that had its tense moments, while MI’s struggles in season openers continued. Let’s break down the action, relive the key moments, and check out the full scoreboard for this thrilling encounter.
The third match of IPL 2025 lived up to its billing as a blockbuster clash, even if it wasn’t the run-fest we saw earlier in Hyderabad. CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that paid off handsomely on a typically slow Chepauk pitch. CSK’s new bowling recruits, Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed, ran through MI’s batting lineup, restricting them to a modest 155/9 in 20 overs. In response, CSK’s chase was anchored by Rachin Ravindra’s unbeaten 65, with Gaikwad’s fiery 53 setting the tone early. Despite a mid-innings wobble caused by MI debutant Vignesh Puthur, CSK sealed the win with 5 balls to spare, starting their campaign on a high note.
MI’s batting innings was a story of early struggles, a brief recovery, and a late cameo that gave them a fighting total. Here’s how it unfolded:
- Early Wickets Set the Tone: CSK’s decision to bowl first paid immediate dividends as Khaleel Ahmed struck early. He dismissed Rohit Sharma for a four-ball duck in the first over, caught at forward square leg, marking Rohit’s 18th IPL duck—the joint-most in tournament history. Khaleel followed up by bowling Ryan Rickelton (13 off 9) with an inside edge, leaving MI at 14/2 in 2 overs. Nitish Rana fell soon after to Nathan Ellis, and MI were reeling at 29/3 in the powerplay.
- Suryakumar and Tilak’s Recovery: Stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav (29 off 26) and Tilak Varma (31 off 25) steadied the ship with a 51-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Suryakumar, leading MI in Hardik Pandya’s absence (due to a one-match ban for slow over-rate in IPL 2024), looked to counterattack, while Tilak played a more measured role. However, their partnership was broken by CSK’s debutant spinner Noor Ahmad, who had Suryakumar stumped by MS Dhoni for 29 in the 10th over.
- Noor Ahmad’s Magic: Noor Ahmad was the star of the show, finishing with figures of 4/18—his best in the IPL and the best by a CSK spinner against MI. He dismissed Tilak Varma (caught at long-on), Naman Dhir (17 off 12), and debutant Robin Minz (3 off 5), breaking the backbone of MI’s middle order. Khaleel Ahmed returned to clean up the tail, finishing with 3/29, including the wicket of Trent Boult.
- Deepak Chahar’s Cameo: MI were struggling at 118/6 after 16 overs, but a late cameo from Deepak Chahar (28* off 15), playing against his former team, gave MI a fighting total. Chahar smashed a six off Nathan Ellis in the final over, helping MI reach 155/9. Despite the late flourish, MI’s total looked under-par on a pitch that offered assistance to spinners but was still chaseable.
CSK’s bowling was disciplined, with Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed leading the charge. R Ashwin, returning to his home franchise, chipped in with 1/24, while Nathan Ellis (1/35) and Ravindra Jadeja (0/22) kept things tight.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rohit Sharma | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | c Ravindra b Khaleel Ahmed |
| Ryan Rickelton (wk) | 13 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 144.44 | b Khaleel Ahmed |
| Will Jacks | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 160.00 | c Hooda b Ellis |
| Suryakumar Yadav (c) | 29 | 26 | 2 | 1 | 111.54 | st Dhoni b Noor Ahmad |
| Tilak Varma | 31 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 124.00 | c Hooda b Noor Ahmad |
| Naman Dhir | 17 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 141.67 | c Gaikwad b Noor Ahmad |
| Robin Minz | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 60.00 | c Jadeja b Noor Ahmad |
| Mitchell Santner | 5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 71.43 | c Dube b Ashwin |
| Deepak Chahar | 28* | 15 | 2 | 1 | 186.67 | Not Out |
| Trent Boult | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 160.00 | c Curran b Khaleel Ahmed |
| Satyanarayana Raju | 1* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | Not Out |
| Extras | 10 | (lb 2, w 7, nb 1) | ||||
| Total | 155/9 | (20 Overs, RR: 7.75) |
Fall of Wickets: 1-0 (Rohit Sharma, 0.4 ov), 2-14 (Ryan Rickelton, 1.6 ov), 3-29 (Will Jacks, 3.2 ov), 4-87 (Suryakumar Yadav, 10.3 ov), 5-96 (Tilak Varma, 12.1 ov), 6-104 (Robin Minz, 13.4 ov), 7-112 (Naman Dhir, 14.5 ov), 8-118 (Mitchell Santner, 15.6 ov), 9-141 (Trent Boult, 18.5 ov)
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khaleel Ahmed | 4 | 0 | 29 | 3 | 7.25 |
| Nathan Ellis | 4 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 8.75 |
| Sam Curran | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 10.00 |
| R Ashwin | 2 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 12.00 |
| Noor Ahmad | 4 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 4.50 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 4 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 5.50 |
Chasing 156, CSK got off to a solid start but faced a few hiccups in the middle overs. Here’s how their chase played out:
- Gaikwad’s Fiery Start: CSK lost Rahul Tripathi early for 4, dismissed by Trent Boult, but captain Ruturaj Gaikwad took charge. Gaikwad smashed 53 off 26 balls, reaching his fifty in just 22 balls—his fastest in the IPL. He took a particular liking to MI’s bowlers, hitting a towering six off Will Jacks and punishing loose deliveries. Alongside Rachin Ravindra, Gaikwad added 87 runs for the second wicket, bringing the required run rate down to a run a ball by the ninth over.
- Vignesh Puthur’s Impact: MI introduced debutant left-arm wrist-spinner Vignesh Puthur as an Impact Sub (replacing Rohit Sharma), and the 23-year-old from Kerala made an immediate impact. Puthur dismissed Gaikwad, caught by Will Jacks, and followed up by removing Deepak Hooda (9 off 7) and Shivam Dube (9 off 10) in quick succession. His figures of 3/32 in 4 overs gave MI a glimmer of hope, reducing CSK to 108/4 after 12 overs.
- Rachin Ravindra’s Composure: While wickets fell around him, Rachin Ravindra held firm, scoring an unbeaten 65 off 45 balls. He reached his fifty in 42 balls, hitting a six off Puthur to mark the milestone. Ravindra’s calm approach ensured CSK stayed on track, even as the crowd grew anxious with the fall of wickets. Ravindra Jadeja (17 off 14) provided support with a 44-run partnership for the fifth wicket, but a mix-up led to Jadeja’s run-out with 4 runs needed off 8 balls.
- Dhoni’s Cameo and Ravindra’s Finish: The run-out brought MS Dhoni to the crease, sending the Chepauk crowd into a frenzy. Dhoni faced just 2 balls, both dot balls from Naman Dhir, and remained unbeaten on 0. With 4 runs needed in the final over, Rachin Ravindra finished the game in style, smashing a six over mid-wicket off Mitchell Santner to seal the 4-wicket win with 5 balls to spare.
MI’s bowling had moments of brilliance, particularly from Puthur, but they lacked consistency. Trent Boult (1/25) and Will Jacks (1/32) picked up a wicket each, but the modest target and CSK’s composed batting ensured the hosts got over the line.
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate | Dismissal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rachin Ravindra | 65* | 45 | 2 | 4 | 144.44 | Not Out |
| Rahul Tripathi | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 80.00 | c Rickelton b Boult |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad (c) | 53 | 26 | 4 | 3 | 203.85 | c Jacks b Puthur |
| Deepak Hooda | 9 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 128.57 | c Varma b Puthur |
| Shivam Dube | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 90.00 | c Dhir b Puthur |
| Ravindra Jadeja | 17 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 121.43 | run out (Santner/Rickelton) |
| Sam Curran | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 | c Boult b Jacks |
| MS Dhoni (wk) | 0* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | Not Out |
| Extras | 0 | (lb 0, w 0, nb 0) | ||||
| Total | 158/6 | (19.1 Overs, RR: 8.24) |
Fall of Wickets: 1-12 (Rahul Tripathi, 1.5 ov), 2-99 (Ruturaj Gaikwad, 8.4 ov), 3-108 (Deepak Hooda, 10.2 ov), 4-108 (Shivam Dube, 10.5 ov), 5-152 (Ravindra Jadeja, 18.4 ov), 6-152 (Sam Curran, 18.6 ov)
| Bowler | Overs | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Boult | 4 | 0 | 25 | 1 | 6.25 |
| Satyanarayana Raju | 3 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 10.00 |
| Deepak Chahar | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 10.00 |
| Mitchell Santner | 2.1 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 8.76 |
| Vignesh Puthur | 4 | 0 | 32 | 3 | 8.00 |
| Will Jacks | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 |
- Player of the Match – Noor Ahmad (CSK): 4/18 in 4 overs. A sensational debut for the Afghan spinner, dismantling MI’s middle order.
- Rachin Ravindra (CSK): 65* off 45 balls. Anchored the chase with composure, finishing the game in style.
- Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK): 53 off 26 balls. A fiery knock that set the tone for the chase.
- Vignesh Puthur (MI): 3/32 in 4 overs. A dream debut for the uncapped spinner, keeping MI in the game.
- Khaleel Ahmed (CSK): 3/29 in 4 overs. Early strikes that put MI on the back foot.
- MI’s Opening Game Woe: This loss marked MI’s 13th consecutive failure to win their season opener, a streak dating back to 2012.
- Noor Ahmad’s Record: His 4/18 is the best by a CSK spinner against MI and the best by any bowler in CSK vs MI clashes at Chepauk.
- Rohit Sharma’s Duck: Rohit’s four-ball duck was his 18th in the IPL, tying him for the most ducks in tournament history.
- Low-Scoring Affair: The match aggregate of 313 runs (155 + 158) was a stark contrast to the 528 runs in the earlier SRH vs RR game in Hyderabad.
- Bowling Dominance: Noor Ahmad and Khaleel Ahmed’s combined 7 wickets for 47 runs in 8 overs broke MI’s batting. The spinners, including Ashwin and Jadeja, exploited the Chepauk conditions perfectly.
- Gaikwad’s Aggression: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 53 off 26 ensured CSK got off to a flyer, reducing the pressure on the middle order.
- Rachin’s Composure: Ravindra’s unbeaten 65 was the glue that held the chase together, especially when Puthur threatened a comeback.
- Top-Order Collapse: Losing Rohit Sharma, Ryan Rickelton, and Will Jacks early put MI on the back foot. The top order failed to capitalize on the powerplay.
- Inability to Build Partnerships: Apart from the 51-run stand between Suryakumar and Tilak, MI struggled to string together meaningful partnerships.
- Missed Opportunities in Bowling: Despite Puthur’s heroics, MI’s bowlers leaked runs early, allowing Gaikwad to take the game away. They also failed to capitalize on the pressure after the middle-order wickets.
For CSK, this win is a perfect start to their IPL 2025 campaign. Their new bowling recruits, particularly Noor Ahmad, look like game-changers, and the batting showed depth with Ravindra stepping up. Their next match is against Rajasthan Royals on March 30 in Guwahati, where they’ll aim to build on this momentum.
Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, have some soul-searching to do. Their batting needs to fire as a unit, and the absence of Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah (due to injury) hurt them. They’ll face Delhi Capitals next on April 13 in Delhi, hoping to break their opening-game curse and get their campaign back on track.
What a way to kick off IPL 2025 for Chennai Super Kings! Did you enjoy the El Clasico as much as we did? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to spread the IPL fever on social media. Use the buttons below to share this match recap on Instagram, X, or Facebook, and let’s keep the #IPL2025 excitement going!
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Stay tuned to IPLFan.in for more live scores, latest news, and updates from the IPL 2025 season. The next match on March 26 between Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders promises to be another thriller—don’t miss it!
