IPL2025: In the match between the five-time champions, MI wins handily thanks to the Rohit-SKY display, while CSK’s batting is once again well below average.
When the Chennai Super Kings lost their sixth game of the IPL2025 season out of eight to remain at the bottom of the table, MS Dhoni was blunt in his post-match interview. “We were really not up to par.
The captain of CSK stated, “We should have started our slog earlier because we knew dew would arrive in the second half.”
When CSK emerged from the first half of the game, they were sitting pretty at 176 for 5 wickets down.
But it didn’t really seem that impressive, actually. They won’t give 20 percent on this deck, courtesy a brilliant exhibition of stroke-making from Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, who remained unbeaten with a 114-run partnership. Mumbai Indians chased down their target in just 15.4 overs.
They scored 176 runs losing 5 wickets in the first half of the match, but it always seemed short considering the effort put into middle overs.
Mumbai Indians went past this target well within 15.4 overs, thanks to an incredible display of stroke-making by Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav, who made an indomitable association of 114 runs.
Rohit does well.
On another day, it would take up more column inches that Suryakumar Yadav, batting at his preferred No. 3 spot against a spin-heavy CSK attack, hammered 30-ball 68 at a strike rate of 226.66. However, Rohit was the main attraction on Sunday.
Mind you, their former captain didn’t have the most fluid of innings. On a different day, he might have been out in the late 20s once more during the powerplay after misjudging Jamie Overton’s lofted shot. On another occasion, he might have been out soon after hitting the half-century mark when he attempted to go over extra cover but lost his form and the ball slipped under the fielder.
He could have been out on 58 on a different day when he tried a leg-side swat and the ball grabbed the leading edge and sailed in the exact opposite direction.
Beyond anything else, though, Rohit’s undefeated innings of 76 off 45 balls was a sight to behold for MI supporters. He was clearly seeing the ball well, as seen by two early sixes over the leg side, his favored pick-up shot.
However, Khaleel’s error on the fuller side in the third over, when he carressed the ball between cover and mid-off, was the definite sign that he had his touch. On broadcast at the time, Michael Clarke noted that Rohit “just looks different tonight.”
He is still at the point of contact and is not attempting to overhit the ball.Later, Rohit affirmed that he wanted to stretch his arms and maintain his shape as much as possible when the ball was in his arc.
In stark contrast to CSK’s early struggles, he had a scorching start that propelled MI to 62/0 in the powerplay and almost ended the chase there. He fired a slot puck from Overton flying over the square leg fence.
He didn’t stop there, either, as MI glided home with plenty of fuel left in the tank after Rohit and Suryakumar joined forces to thwart CSK’s spin-attack and ensure that the pursuit wouldn’t falter.
Hardik Pandya, the captain, stated, “We don’t have to worry about Rohit’s form because we knew that when he comes good, it will be like this, and once that happens, he will take the game away.”
Fits and starts for several innings
It had a slight spin and even turn and bounce, making it a real Wankhede pitch. The CSK hitters, however, appeared timid. They middled numerous strokes in the first two overs, but they were all caught by the fielders. The batting didn’t really get up steam until rookie Ayush Mhatre batted after Rachin Ravindra put Ashwani Kumar in the rear.
He demonstrated why he has been heralded as a domestic cricket potential. When the bowlers tested the middle of the pitch, the pull shot also came out well. Full balls were driven and flicked magnificently, some of them into the crowd.
He began by driving a straight boundary off Ashwani, then he flicked his wrist and pulled imperiously, both strokes ending among the onlookers. Thanks to Mhatre, the powerplay that looked like it was going to waste for CSK ended up being at a respectable 48/1.
However, the CSK batting lineup was so hesitant that they once again resorted into shelling after Mhatre was fired. After opening the batting with a 20-ball 19 from Shaik Rasheed, Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube took their time before applying pressure.
The first 30 runs of their partnership took 32 balls, and the run rate fell from 8.60 after five overs to 6.63 after eleven. Although Dube and Jadeja eventually scored their half-centuries, their initial slow start ultimately cost them dearly.
Santner excels.
Making an impression in the IPL as a foreign spinner is not an easy task. Few people have. Mitchell Santner, however, possesses the talent and quiet self-assurance to compete with any hitter.
Any spinner, especially one without any secret variations up his sleeve, would have worry due to the Wankhede’s enormity. The Kiwi left-arm spinner, however, is incredibly accurate, has excellent control over line and length, and can alter his pace based on how he reads the batsman.
Even though Santner only gave up 14 runs in his three overs on Sunday—a remarkable accomplishment in and of itself—the delivery he made to get Rasheed out would have been worth the entry fee.
He invited the batsman to get on the front foot by slowing the ball down to 77.4 kmph and giving it plenty of air outside off-stump.
The right-hander lost his balance trying to push the ball onto the offside during the ensuing dip and turn. The well-earned prize for a fantastic display of talent was a stumping.
