The dominant Mumbai Indians (MI) team is back, leaving no chance for mistakes. A classy performance against their arch rivals, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), ensured a 9-wicket victory with 26 balls remaining. As Rohit Sharma finds his rhythm, MI has started ticking all the boxes slowly but at a constant pace. This makes MI the scariest team in the league now. Still a long way for MI to go forward in the playoffs, but they are definitely in the race for qualification.
CSK's way forward in this league looks difficult now, as they have only 2 victories in 8 matches. They have not played some quality cricket yet, and every department is a concern for them. They can still qualify if they win all 6 matches, but with the quality of cricket they are playing, it seems impossible for them.
Match Summary:
CSK's Innings: CSK, as usual, started their innings way too slowly. Their overall Powerplay run-rate in this IPL is 7.85, which is concerning as other teams have run-rates over 9 in the powerplay. A quick innings of Ayush Mhatre and a 79-run partnership between Jadeja and Dube helped CSK score 176 runs in their allotted 20 overs. On a pretty flat surface of Wankhede, it was never a defendable total, considering the dimensions of the ground too. Bumrah and Santner played a big role in restricting CSK to such a low score.
MI's Innings: MI openers finally spent some time in the middle and had their highest opening partnership in this IPL, i.e, 63 runs. Rickelton got out after scoring 24 runs, and after his wicket, it was absolute carnage by both Surya and Rohit. Surya scored 68 runs off just 30 balls, and Rohit scored 76 runs off 45 balls. They played with a positive intent, which helped them to increase their net run rate to 0.483, which is the 4th best in this tournament. MI stands in 6th position in the points table with 4 wins from 8 matches.
Key Performers
- Ayush Mhatre: What a debut for this young lad scored a quick-fire 32 off 15 balls. He set up the momentum for CSK. A long career awaits for another player from Mumbai.
- Dube and Jadeja: Both scored 50 runs and had a great partnership, ensuring CSK reached a respectable total.
- Bumrah and Santner: Both looked out of form since the first match they played, but now both of them are doing exactly what the team needs from them, bowling economically and also taking crucial wickets. Santner gave 14 runs and took 1 wicket in his 3 overs. Bumrah gave 25 runs and took 2 crucial wickets.
- Rohit and Surya: Rohit and Surya made sure that MI not only win the match but also improved their NRR. Both of them are now back in form and will keep on improving as the league goes on.
MI looks dangerous now?
MI, as usual, started the IPL slowly, by winning only 1 match in the first 5 matches, but now they are seriously back in the business with 3 back-to-back wins. Delhi had won 5 out of 5 games, Gujarat is doing great at the top of the table, Bengaluru, Punjab, and Lucknow are very well within the race, but everyone is now looking towards MI. What makes them different from these teams is that they are ticking one box at a time, not overdoing anything, and just following the process. The Indian core, Rohit, Surya, Tilak, Hardik, and Bumrah, are all in-form players supported by Deepak Chahar, Trent Boult, and Santner.
Mumbai Indians delivered a near-perfect performance against their arch-rivals, showcasing dominance with both bat and ball. Rohit Sharma’s return to form, combined with Suryakumar Yadav’s flair and Jasprit Bumrah’s precision, highlighted MI’s intent to bounce back in the league. For CSK, despite steady knocks from Jadeja and Dube, the lack of firepower in the death overs and ineffective bowling proved costly. As the season progresses, MI looks poised to climb the table, while CSK may need to reassess their strategies to stay in contention. With the top 7 teams in the race for the playoffs, it makes every match becomes more interesting. The revenge week, where every team will get a chance to make themselves even stronger, will bring more thrill into the league.
About the Author
Advait Kadam is a sports writer at Vygr Media, specializing in cricket coverage and match analysis. With a background in Sports Management and a passion for storytelling, he brings sharp insights and fresh perspectives to every game.
Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Vygr’s views.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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