Chennai Super Kings (CSK) chose to bowl first after winning the toss against Mumbai Indians (MI) in their IPL 2025 clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The decision quickly bore fruit as Khaleel Ahmed delivered a sensational opening spell, jolting MI’s top order. Adding to MI’s woes, MS Dhoni showcased his timeless brilliance behind the stumps, producing a lightning-fast stumping to dismiss Suryakumar Yadav.
Khaleel made an immediate impact, sending Rohit Sharma back to the pavilion for a duck in the very first over. It marked Rohit’s 18th duck in IPL history, a record he now shares with Glenn Maxwell and Dinesh Karthik. In his next over, Khaleel removed Ryan Rickelton, who managed just 13 off 7 deliveries, further sinking MI into trouble.
WATCH – Khaleel Ahmed Strikes Early As Rohit Sharma Falls For A Duck
Ruturaj Gaikwad, leading CSK, introduced Ravichandran Ashwin early, and the seasoned spinner made an instant impact. Ashwin dismissed Will Jacks for 11, tempting him into a rash shot that found Shivam Dube just behind mid-off. Ashwin’s clever variations and flight kept the MI batters guessing, adding to their mounting pressure.
Tilak Varma and Suryakumar Yadav tried to revive the innings, adding a promising 51 runs for the third wicket. Varma showcased positive intent, striking consecutive boundaries off Ashwin to inject some momentum. However, just when MI looked like they might stabilize, MS Dhoni, defying his 43 years of age, pulled off a blinding stumping.
Noor Ahmad’s delivery turned away from Suryakumar, who overcommitted on the drive, and Dhoni’s lightning-fast hands took off the bails before SKY could react. It was a classic Dhoni moment — a testament to his incredible reflexes and presence of mind.
— Yxshh27 Media ⚡ (@y_vids1) March 23, 2025
Compounding MI’s struggles was the absence of Hardik Pandya, serving a ban, and Jasprit Bumrah, still regaining match fitness. With Suryakumar leading the side in Pandya’s absence, MI now faces a steep challenge to post a competitive total against a disciplined CSK bowling attack.
