IPL 2025: CSK thump Mumbai for winning start

Chennai Super King’s bowling acquisitions during the off-season paid immediate dividends.

Their four new bowlers took nine wickets between them to restrict Mumbai Indians to 155 for 9, a total that they ultimately chased down with ease but not without a hiccup against debutant left-arm wrist-spinner Vignesh Puthur, who is yet to represent his state side in senior cricket.

However, the other left-arm wrist spinner, younger than Puthur but a veteran by comparison, made the telling impact.

Noor Ahmad registered his best IPL figures and the best figures for a CSK spinner against MI, 4 for 18, to capitalise on the inroads made by Khaleel Ahmed, whose CSK debut was not too shabby either: wickets of openers and analysis of 4-0-29-3.

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad made the chase look like a walk in the park with 53 off 26, bringing the requirement down to a run a ball in the ninth over, but this is when they started losing wickets to Puthur, struggling to impart power into his slow wristspin.

Three of them holed out in the deep, but Rachin Ravindra anchored the chase with 65 off 45 to see them home. (ESPNcricinfo)