CSK vs MI First Half Highlights - IPL 2025 | Chennai Bowlers Crush Mumbai in Opener

Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians 2025: CSK Bowlers Stun MI in Low-Scoring Thriller at Chepauk

A fresh chapter of the legendary Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians 2025 rivalry unfolded at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday night, and it was the yellow brigade that delivered a bowling masterclass to strangle their long-time foes. Chennai Super Kings, led by new skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, opted to bowl first and made full use of the slow Chennai surface, reducing Mumbai Indians to a modest 155/9 in their 20 overs.

While fans expected fireworks with big names like Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma in Mumbai’s ranks, the CSK bowling attack, led by a clinical Khaleel Ahmed and a magical Noor Ahmad, ensured the visitors never really got going. The innings featured moments of brilliance, clever tactics, and a textbook display of spin and pace rotation that left Mumbai Indians' batting collapse looking inevitable.

It was a collective performance from Chennai that turned the tide of the match early, making it clear why Chepauk continues to be one of the most feared home venues in the league.

Mumbai Indians Innings – Scorecard Overview

Total: 155/9 in 20 overs
Run Rate: 7.75

Top Batters:

• Ryan Rickelton – 13 (7 balls, 3 fours)

• Suryakumar Yadav – 29 (26 balls, 2 fours, 1 six)

• Tilak Varma – 31 (25 balls, 2 fours, 2 sixes)

• Deepak Chahar – 28 (15 balls, 2 sixes, 2 fours)

Fall of Wickets:
0-1 (Rohit Sharma, 0.4)
21-2 (Rickelton, 2.2)
36-3 (Jacks, 4.4)
87-4 (Suryakumar, 10.3)
95-5 (Minz, 12.4)
96-6 (Tilak, 12.6)
118-7 (Naman Dhir, 16.1)
128-8 (Santner, 17.6)
141-9 (Boult, 18.6)

Top CSK Bowlers:

• Khaleel Ahmed: 4-0-29-3

• Noor Ahmad: 4-0-18-4

• Nathan Ellis: 4-0-38-1

• Ashwin & Jadeja: Combined 7 overs for 31 runs and 1 wicket

CSK vs MI IPL 2025: Mumbai Crumble as Chennai’s Bowlers Dominate Chepauk

The Chepauk pitch is known to assist bowlers who understand its unique grip and slowness, and Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians 2025 served as the perfect example. After winning the toss, Ruturaj Gaikwad made a smart call to bowl first under the lights, and his bowlers responded with precision and purpose.

The innings started disastrously for Mumbai as Rohit Sharma departed for a duck in the very first over, falling to a peach of an outswinger from Khaleel Ahmed, who returned to the XI with renewed aggression. Rickelton briefly entertained with a flurry of boundaries, but his stay was cut short by the same left-arm pacer.

Will Jacks, brought in to offer aggression in the powerplay, looked promising before falling to Ravichandran Ashwin, whose tight lines and subtle variations stifled the scoring rate. From 36/3, Mumbai attempted to rebuild, but their innings never recovered momentum.

Noor Ahmad CSK pick was an inspired one. The young Afghan spinner wove a web around the middle order, picking up key wickets including Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Robin Minz. Noor’s rhythm, pace variation, and ability to extract turn even under dew made him unplayable at times. His final figures of 4/18 from four overs reflect his growing stature in T20 cricket.

Adding to the mix was the ever-reliable MS Dhoni, whose lightning-quick stumping to remove Surya was vintage Dhoni sharp reflexes and surgical precision, reminding everyone of his continued influence behind the stumps.

Mumbai’s batting lacked direction in the absence of a stable partnership. The middle order, including Tilak and Naman Dhir, showed signs of a fightback, but they couldn’t string together lasting stands. Mitchell Santner, playing against his old franchise, tried to stick around but fell to Nathan Ellis after an uninspiring 13-ball 11. Only Deepak Chahar, promoted as a pinch hitter late in the innings, added some gloss with a fiery 28 off 15 balls.

Despite the late flourish, a total of 155 at Chepauk was below par, especially considering the depth in Chennai’s batting. The Super Kings will be confident chasing this target, with in-form openers Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rachin Ravindra at the top and the likes of Jadeja, Dube, and Dhoni to follow.

From a tactical standpoint, CSK’s bowling rotation was spot-on. Gaikwad’s use of spin from both ends during the middle overs choked Mumbai’s scoring rate. The pace trio of Ellis, Khaleel, and Curran were used strategically in the powerplay and death overs, with Khaleel’s three wickets highlighting his return to form.

The CSK vs MI IPL 2025 clash, despite the low scoreline, delivered a gripping bowling performance from the hosts and will certainly fuel confidence in the Chennai camp as they begin their season.

Mumbai, on the other hand, will have to reassess their top-order strategy and find ways to build more resilience in the middle overs. The absence of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya both missing from the playing XI was evident, especially when CSK built pressure with ease.

This latest chapter in the storied Chennai-Mumbai rivalry belonged firmly to CSK’s bowlers, and as the tournament unfolds, both teams will look to find consistency in what promises to be one of the most competitive IPL seasons yet.